Columnist who used disputed Sandoval quote has column discontinued

A column in the Spanish-language newspaper El Tiempo by Adriana Arevalo, news director for the Univision television in Las Vegas, won't run in the future, El Tiempo editor Hernando Amaya said.

Amaya said Univision officials notified El Tiempo today Arevalo would no longer submit the column, but didn't give a reason why. El Tiempo is published by Stephens Media, which also publishes the Review-Journal.

The notification comes after a brouhaha over a disputed quote Arevalo attributed to Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Sandoval in a column that appeared July 23. (Column in Spanish ... English-language version)

In the column on the paper's opinion page Arevalo quoted Sandoval responding to questions about whether he would fear his kids might be subject to racial profiling under an Arizona-style immigration law. She reported Sandoval, who is Hispanic, answered with a prideful tone, stating, "my children are not seen as Hispanics."

The remark was cited in Arevalo's column as evidence Sandoval does not "understand what it means to be one of us in this country."

When asked about the quote by political commentator Jon Ralton, Sandoval denied saying it. He later hedged and said he didn't recall saying it and if he did, it was wrong.

Ralston and other media organizations, including the Review-Journal, sought a copy of the video in which Sandoval allegedly made the comment. Univision declined to release it and, later, reported there was no audio rolling at the time so, while Sandoval could be seen talking, he couldn't be heard.

Also, subsequent reports stated Arevalo wasn't present at the time of the interview and was later told of the remark she quoted in her column.

Operatives for Democratic candidate Rory Reid, the Nevada State Democratic Party and the Democratic Governor's Association have sought to fan the flames of the incident into a political controversy for Sandoval. The Democratic Governor's Association accused Sandoval of making "insensitive and controversial comments about Hispanics."

Sandoval's campaign has said little beyond a prepared statement several days ago. Supporter Tony Alamo, a former Las Vegas casino company executive who is Hispanic, disputed the contention that Sandoval would be anti-Hispanic, saying Sandoval, Nevada's first Hispanic attorney general and a former federal judge, "is very proud of being Hispanic."

Univision general manager Chris Roman has not responded to numerous phone calls and e-mails about the incident since Friday.