Attorney Gloria Allred produced a copy of a letter she says the Social Security Administration sent to the Whitman family alerting them that the Social Security number the family provided for their housekeeper, Nicandra Diaz Santillan, did not match government records.

At a noontime press conference, Allred said the letter was an obvious red flag that there was a problem with the documents provided by Santillan, who now acknowledges she was in the country illegally.

Whitman has denied receiving such a letter, saying she was stunned when Santillan confessed to her that she was undocumented after nine years of working for the Whitman family.

But the copy of the April 22, 2003, letter produced by Allred had a handwritten note on it. It said, "Nicky please check this. Thanks." Diaz Santillan claims the handwriting is that of Whitman's husband, Griff Harsh.

Allred said that if Whitman and Harsh deny the handwriting is his, she is prepared to present evidence proving otherwise.

"Meg Whitman is exposed as a liar and a hypocrite," Allred said after reading several quotes in newspapers in which Whitman denied receiving any letter from the Social Security Administration. "She should now apologize to Nicky and the press and the public."

Allred denied that Jerry Brown operatives sent Diaz Santillan her way. She said the case came to her through another attorney. But she refused to name that attorney.

--Evan Halper in Sacramento