SACRAMENTO, April 25 (UPI) -- Senior Hispanic officials in California have been receiving racist death threats, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants stepped-up prosecution for hate crimes.
Schwarzenegger said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante have both "received disturbing and hateful death threats," and said he asked district attorneys throughout the state to step up their efforts.
Schwarzenegger also denounced the hate-based arson of a Mexican restaurant in the San Diego area earlier this month.
Villaraigosa told KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, late Monday that he had received threats but did not offer details.
A spokesman for Bustamante told the Los Angeles Times that three weeks ago the lieutenant governor received a postcard containing offensive remarks and threats with a Pasadena postmark.
