Nevada's Brian Sandoval catching fire for comments on his kids and Arizona's immigration law

Oops. There’s a bit of a firestorm brewing in Nevada after it was reported that Brian Sandoval, the Republican nominee for governor, told a Spanish-language television network that he wasn’t worried about racial profiling in Arizona due to the new illegal immigration law because his children don't "look Hispanic."

Sandoval, who if elected would become the state's first Latino governor, made the remark during an interview with Univision. The news director for Univision Nevada, Adriana Arevalo, wrote a biting column in response in which she detailed the exchange:

It wasn’t long ago that he said in an interview on Univision that he vehemently supported Arizona’s anti-immigrant law. In reference to the same law, he was asked how he would feel if he and his children were stopped in the street and asked for their papers. He answered, with a note of pride in his voice, “My children don’t look Hispanic.”

Sandoval, who supports the Arizona immigration law, is going to “wind up with a worse identity crisis than Sharron Angle, who was Republican, then Democrat, and once again Republican,” she wrote. Angle is challenging long-time Nevada senator and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is seeking reelection.

At first, Univision said it wouldn’t release the tape on the grounds that it was Univision's own work product. Now, with Sandoval saying he never uttered such a thing, the station said it’s considering posting the video (it says there isn’t any audio).

"I don’t remember saying it, and it is most certainly not how I feel," Sandoval said in a statement. "If I did say those words, it was wrong and I sincerely regret it. I am proud of my heritage and my family."

Sandoval has been accused of flip-flopping on issues such as whether to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses. In polls, he's ahead of Democratic hopeful Rory Reid, who was quick to respond to the controversy. Reid issued a release Friday saying that Sandoval, who acknowledges that he doesn't speak Spanish, doesn’t know anything about honesty “in any language."

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

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Photo: Brian Sandoval celebrates his Republican primary victory June 8. Credit: Associated Press.

Comments

[Maria]

He doesn't speak Spanish and he doesn't think of himself or his kids as "Hispanic." Sounds like an assimilated American to me.

Of course, we can't have that. What would the Democrats do without their anti-American, anti-white grievance groups?

[Noah]

Ummm, they look more hispanic then me! I'm proud to be Hispanic!

[RICK KORBEL]

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Most everything the REIDs say are at best misleading.

I CALL THEM LIES !!

[Brigitte1983]

I am a Hispanic female citizen raised in Florida all my life. My husband is white and we have two Hispanic/American daughters.My daughters look European just as their father. If this bill becomes law, and if other states such as Florida adapt (or even think of adapting) Arizona's notion, It is not right that MY rights will be violated because I am dark skinned, have brown hair/eyes, will be subject to harassment, and embarrassment by being treated like a criminal just because of my physical appearance. This is evidently racial profiling and is against the Constitution. I am in accordance that drug trafficking/smuggling and similar issues concerning illegal immigrants are a BIG problem, but this is not the right way to handle the situation. I am baffled to know how an individual such as yourself could make such an erroneous statement. You sir, are a disgrace to Hispanics such as my self, and I hope you don't get elected by God's grace.

[Barry Hussein]

What he meant to say is that he isn't worried because he isn't worried because his kids don't look hispanic while they drive around drunk without a driver's license.

[what a schmuck]

i forget: what's the latino version of 'Oreo'?

nothing like identifying with the oppressor --- i.e. the rich and privileged who don't actually want you in their club -- but if they let you in buddy, you better act 'white' and be quiet.

yep, just the kind of non-wasp the republikkkons adore.

[Enough is enough]

Racial profiling is natural and makes common sense. I do it, Mexicans do it, Salvadorians do it, you do it, the Pope does it, Obama too. Hoping that life can go on without it is plain silly. Like it or not, the plain fact that most illegal immigration originates from Mexico will point to people that look “Mexican” when trying to stop the flow. If you look “Mexican” and get stopped and asked for documents, direct your frustration to the Mexican government and governments like it for not doing enough to provide for its own people back home.

[PyotrLip]

Rory Reid, by the way, DOES speak Spanish -- excellently -- but he of course is NOT Hispanic. Go figure.

[jack j]

Actually they do look Hispanic and so he's really an idiot. They'll be in high school and being pulled over repeatedly for driving while not white.

[Frank Adams]

Certainly his kids are not Hispanic looking but what about their surnames? Sandoval is not an American surname but of Hispanic origin. Brian can’t get away with it. It is etched on his forehead.

[Billy BuBB]

I'm white and my kids look hispanic.

Easiest way out of illegal mess? verify SS#s for the actual user. Not correct? then get fired and sent down the road.

Insist on REAL ID.

Of course, all the contractors would end up having to play a 'level-er' playing field by paying prevailing wages, instead of jacking their knowing illegal hands.

The feds would hate Real ID, because SS payments into the system would fall, as the holder of a pirated SS# couldn't ever collect retirement or unemployment, or any other government pension or welfare check. It pays the Feds to keep illegit money flowing in, if for nothing more than to give them leeway to fund banking executives for doing absolutely nothing for anybody else.

[battery charger laptop gateway]

I agree with you that Reid issued a release Friday saying that Sandoval, who acknowledges that he doesn't speak Spanish, doesn’t know anything about honesty “in any language."

[javi]

Is this an IDIOT or is this an Ignorant ARROGANT republican again!!!! are american indians hispanics or indians or chinese or blacks or just regular regular badly dressed american n what is an american? in the american continent?? criminals are criminals they give us all bad names!!!! they should be taken care of but who started this anyhow, where they criminals themselves!! or selfish human beings that did not care for others or the consequences they would leave among the families in the future generations!!

[Cresiendo En Desgracia]

With that potato face... who is he fooling?

[Good heavens]

Did we not learn anything from the Shirley Sherrod incident? This report is from someone that heard it from someone who said she heard it, but actually heard it from someone else that said they heard it. If that's all it takes to make someone a racist, we're all in trouble. Elephant or donkey, why don't you start thinking for yourselves for a change?

[chuck]

So what if he said that. It.s reality. It's not the French comming over the border by the millions.