California TV viewers will be seeing a lot more of Meg Whitman in coming weeks as the GOP gubernatorial candidate starts running half-hour television ads on cable stations around the state, campaign strategist Mike Murphy says.
Whitman filmed one such ad last night at the OC Pavillion in Santa Ana, where supporters were invited to a private event and then told the proceedings would be filmed, Murphy said. Several audience members were invited on stage to ask questions of Whitman about education, the budget deficit and other topics.
A campaign volunteer of Whitman rival Steve Poizner entered the event and reported back what had happened in an e-mail and video sent out by the Poizner campaign.
Another political operative - Jeremy Thompson, working for the California Accountability Project funded by the Democratic Governors Association - tried to get in but was turned back by Whitman aides. He did film video of his encounter with Whitman press secretary Sarah Pompei.
UPDATE: Santa Ana police were called to the OC Pavilion after someone reported that Thompson was refusing to leave the venue, said Santa Ana police Corp. Anthony Bertagna, who wouldn't say who called the police. Thompson was not arrested.
OC Pavilion general manager Philippe Antoine told The Bee his security members did not call police.
Nick Velasquez, of the acountability project, sent out an e-mail this afternoon demanding an apology from the Whitman campaign.
"We demand that Meg Whitman explain her campaigns actions, and apologize for the manhandling of a member of our team who was in possession of a ticket for the event, and was not filming or in any way being disruptive," Velasquez wrote.
When asked who called the police on Thompson, Whitman communications director Tucker Bounds responded, "The entire situation is a shenanigan being pushed by our opponent, and it's ridiculous."
Bounds added, "I am dearly sorry that our campaign is not featuring paid operatives for our opponents in our campaign advertising."
Latest posts:
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.