(Audio) Associate Of Jerry Brown Calls Meg Whitman A 'Whore' On Los Angeles Police Union Voicemail
Updated after the jump with responses from both camps. Originally posted at 7:09 a.m.
Only a week after Meg Whitman's own kind of Nannygate hit the California governor's race, her Democratic opponent faced his own crisis as an associate of Jerry Brown was caught on audio tape calling Whitman a "whore." (Audio after the jump).
As originally reported by the Los Angeles Times Thursday night, Brown called in-person to ask for the Los Angeles police union's endorsement last month. The call went through to voicemail, and Brown left his message.
Only it appeared that he never hung up. The answering machine continued to record a conversation between Brown and an associate.
[Audio of Brown's message for the Los Angeles police union].
In the call recorded by the Los Angeles Police Protective League (which sent the audio to the Weekly and other outlets), Brown seems frustrated by pressure to vow to protect law enforcement pensions at a time when such benefits are under scrutiny for the heavy burden they place on taxpayers.
" ... I have been warned if I crack down on pensions ... they'll go to Whitman, and that's where they'll go because they know Whitman will give 'em ... a deal, but I won't," Brown said.
His associate then says, "What about saying she's a whore?"
Brown declines the offer to colorfully portray Whitman in television as a patsy to the police unions.
Whitman, however, did vow to make an exception for cops should she help enact pension reform as governor.
Whitman has painted Brown as a pro-union candidate who has supported fat pensions at the expense of fiscal health. In this case, however, Whitman's promise to protect police pensions -- some of the fattest in the land -- appeared to help earn her the endorsement last month of the LAPPL.
The misogynist name-calling, though, clearly isn't going to help Brown's cause, especially at a time when he's embraced the circus surrounding Whitman's undocumented ex-housekeeper.
Update: Brown's campaign manager, Steven Glazer, issued an apology: "This was a jumbled and often inaudible recording of a private conversation. At times our language was salty. We apologize to Ms. Whitman and anyone who may have been offended."
Whitman campaign spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said the use of the word by a Brown associate was an insult to women:
"The use of the term 'whore' is an insult to both Meg Whitman and to the women of California. This is an appalling and unforgivable smear against Meg Whitman. At the very least Mr. Brown tacitly approved this despicable slur and he himself may have used the term at least once on this recording."
Write Comment
Email to Friend
Print Article
