(CNN) – The welcome wagon didn't exactly show up for the opening of Meg Whitman's new campaign office in East Los Angeles.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate's new outreach office was surrounded by a group of more than 100 protesters ranging from union workers to members of the Latino community Wednesday afternoon, according to California Labor Federation Director of Communications and Media Relations Steve Smith.
The Service Employees International Union Local 1877, a union workers group, the California Labor Federation and other local political activists organized the protest.
Whitman's campaign said it has been about 30 years since a GOP candidate has actually paid for a space in East L.A. When asked why Whitman chose to open an office in East L.A. Barajas said, "She's not gong to concede any district or any voter."
The office is located about four blocks from East Los Angeles College in the heart of East L.A., said Meg Whitman for Governor 2010 spokesman Hector Barajas.
"These union workers are doing the dirty work for Jerry Brown. This is their job," said Barajas.
Smith told CNN in a statement, "Meg Whitman opened an office in East L.A. yesterday as part of her ongoing effort to deceive Latino voters on issues like jobs, education and immigration."
"Whitman has shifted her positions, flip-flopped on issues and made hypocritical statements over the last few weeks in an effort to appeal to Latinos," said Smith.
Jerry Brown's campaign released a statement on the protest, "Meg Whitman has been telling one story in English, and a different story in Spanish. It's no surprise that California's Latino voters are rejecting her cynical lies."
The last GOP office to be housed in the Latino populated area was in 2000 when a group of volunteers opened a George W. Bush office that was not officially funded by the campaign.
From CNN Politics
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East L.A. ? Is Whitman serious? That's like hate-peddler Andrew Breitbart showin-up at a NCAAP meeting. First Meg says she supports AZ law, now she is against amnesty...or maybe she'll change her mind again? Whitman is a joke.
The union has turned it's back on the AMERICAN worker .It has decided to back illegals in this country that take jobs from citizens of this country.Shameful behavior on the part of a group that use to fight for the right for AMERICANS to have better pay and benefits.Now ,we have to worry whether some illegal will get our job.
Meg Whitman is in it with the focused objective of winning. I am sure Jerry Brown realizes this and understands who he is up against.
I look forward to the improvements Meg Whitman will bring to the State of California when she wins.
Anything the SEIU supports is bound to be bad for the nation, including their White House cheer leader.
Good for them. This women is nothing more than a corporate shill that will stand by her corporate masters to ripe the middle class American.
not welcome, should be the title of this article
At worst she is a deceitful liar! At best, she doesn't really know what her position his!
Either way is this someone that we can trust to be Governor during such difficult times?
The answer would seem obvious!
Californians better WAKE UP, if they allow Witman into office, GOD help them all. This woman is a disaster waiting to be unleashed in California.
Judging by the groups the protestors were representing, Whitman must be doing something right.
Ah yes, the SEIU showed up. Nothing like a good old fashioned gang assault. Unless of course it's good old fashioned vandalism.
Nice... bet those "Union" folks got paid as well... nice that this administration can use tax dollars to support unions for such nice activies such as this.
90 Days and counting... less time than it took the whitehouse to notice a pesky little oil leak in the gulf... between parties, campaigns, rock star dinners, etc... oh sooooo jet set
She should be proud to have this group protest her. She must be doing something right.
Those unions idiots need to GET BACK TO WORK!!!! Protesting, whining, complaining, doing anything to get out of doing actual work, and destroying our country is all union members and their bosses are capable of. Pathetic.
Whitman, you're going to be crushed at the polls because you're a power hungry republican liar, and you're poison for the state of California. May you, and Fiorina's careers be devastated after this election.
Los Angeles does NOT want you, Meg!
sorry, but you will lose!