Steve Lopez: Meg, let's get together for that lie-detector test

OK, Meg, I've got a polygraph expert lined up.

That's right. In response to gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman’s pledge that she would take a lie-detector test to prove that she and her husband didn’t know they had an illegal immigrant cleaning their house for nine years, I made a couple of calls and got it all set up.

Lisa Javoric, a Los Angeles private detective, suggested I call her associate, John Grogan. And it turns out that Grogan, who has been doing polygraph exams for 23 years, has been following campaign news.

Before I could complete a single sentence, Grogan said:

"Oh, sure. I'll test Meg Whitman for you."

Grogan said he has done thousands of polygraph exams and considers himself one of the most reliable lie-detector guys in the world. I was thinking maybe I could persuade our cousins at KTLA to broadcast the polygraph exam on live television, if Whitman goes for it, and Grogan said that would be no problem at all.

"I'll go anywhere at any time," he said.

So what do you say, Meg? There still seem to be a few discrepancies on what you and your husband knew about the housekeeper and when you knew it.

Out of the goodness of my heart and in the public interest, I'm offering you the chance to clear it all up, and you know where you can contact me. As for readers, here's your chance to participate.

As soon as possible, send us your questions for Meg regarding her maid, her campaign promises or her time at Goldman Sachs. I'll try my best to have some of your queries added to Meg's polygraph exam.

Talk about direct democracy.

Don't delay; just ask away.

Photo: Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred speaks to the media as she represents Whitman's former housekeeper, Nicky Diaz, at Allred's offices in Los Angeles. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images. Whitman. L.A. Times credit.

Comments

[Ray Williams]

Here's the question: Meg - what did you know and when did you know it?

[average joe]

Soooo...whats going to happen to the maid? I mean she confessed to producing false documents. Gloria Allred quit kissing ass. You pick up stupid cases. why are you defending a person who produced false documents yet so harsh against Meg? Makes no sense.

[Do your homework]

Try fact-checking Grogan's credentials before making a decision of WHO Meg should test with. Check the Better Business Bureau and see what you find....then check with the American Polygraph Association and find out what goes into a properly conducted test. No matter what your political views are, anyone taking a polygraph deserves a properly administered test.

[Barb]

Ms. Whitman calls Ms. Santillan "Nicky", short for Nicandra, I guess. What was the name on the false documents and what name appears on Ms. Whitman's tax filings and withholding reports?

[jim gould]

Hey, Steve Showboater: How about Grogan tests Brown, too. I'm sure folks will have a bunch of questions for him to try to understand.

[rocknwroll]

Doesn't take a machine or a genius to figure out who is lying when someone says the housekeeper was a dear family member in one breath and a thief in the next

[N.Ellen]

Why is my cleaning woman or did she become a US citizen a couple of years ago .. how did she have a social security card? .. I pay the 'nanny tax' yearly .. I did NOT 'pilfer' things from where I worked.. ala FREE eBay trips with family? .. Poll at eBay says 21% would vote for Meg .. that is how I like it .. Not that I am a fan of either . but prefer someone who KNOWS about politics . was NOT sued by an employee at eBay for slapping or hitting . he won 250 .. Gee, she was and IS so disliked at eBay and other places she worked .. heard she was fired from some . but that is . I guess 'hearsay' .

N.Ellen

[Dale Gustafson]

Just like the Times to not check out the facts -- You're reliance on a Polygraph Examinar Like John Grogan who claims to have 23 years of "Polygraph" experience is a joke. Try checking into his background from some other source than himself -- This is a guy who had his PI Licence Revoked, he's never graduated from a polygraph training course and the first time he ever touched a polygraph was about five years ago... And what about the core story of an "illegal alien" using forged documents and someone's social security number to illegally obtain employment. Who's the victim?

[Sue Luttrell]

If Meg wants the people to know her truth, she will agree to a polygraph test. However, it should be with a reputable and professionally trained polygraph examiner, and John Grogan is anything BUT that! Please check with the Ethics committees of the American Association of Polygraph Examiners, the American Polygraph Association, California Association of Polygraph Examiners,or the National Polygraph Association, or Florida, New Mexico, Texas, or probably about any other state, since they have all had complaints and or law suits filed against John Grogan.