Patrick's campaign says there is nothing new in the documents since Patrick said last week he recalled Andrade working at the bar at the time.
Last week, Miguel Andrade told Eyewitness News' Ted Oberg he was hired at Dan & Nick's Sportsmarket using false documents, but told Patrick many times he was illegally in the country at the time. Patrick did not comment on that specific allegation.
Over the weekend, Andrade went to his family home near Guanajuato, Mexico, and collected the documents he says are from his time working for Patrick. They include a letter on Dan & Nick's stationary validating Andrade's employment. It does not expand much beyond that.
The letter is signed "Dan Patrick, President," but also includes a set of initials nearby. That usually indicates it was signed by someone else with the person's permission.
Senator Patrick said last week he vaguely remembered Andrade as an employee but did not recall writing a letter for him.
Patrick claims in a statement that he didn't write it himself. But along with other documents released today, Andrade says it shows he was working to gain citizenship as part of the 1986 Alien Amnesty law. We're told the letters and documents were part of Andrade's Alien Amnesty application. Patterson says it may prove that someone at Patrick's business was willing to help.
In 1986, the federal government offered residency and citizenship to undocumented immigrants who could prove they lived and worked in the USA for a specified time and met other requirements. The letter and other documents would likely satisfy those requirements.
Last week Andrade told us, "He gave me the recommendation letter. It was one of the requirements to become a permanent resident of this country."
The Patrick campaign adds, "Despite Mr. Patterson and his private investigator's efforts to sensationalize it, nothing new has been brought to light. It does not present any new facts or evidence."
Andrade maintains he has not been paid at all by Jerry Patterson for coming forward. He says he is confused and upset by Patrick's current tough stance on illegal immigrants when contrasted with his own experience 30 years ago.
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