OPPONENTS OF HUNTER RAMP UP EFFORTS WITH BILLBOARD, CHICKEN AND BUNNY EARS

By Miriam Raftery

June 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – A billboard that reads “Did you know?  Rep. Duncan Hunter is under criminal investigation” will soon be posted along highway 67, after volunteers from the group “Indivisible” raised over $7,000 in five days on a crowdfunding website. 

In addition, activists gathered outside Hooley’s Irish Pub in La Mesa Friday night, where Hunter was slated to hold a fundraiser.  Protesters held up a giant inflatable chicken to symbolize what they claim is “chickening out” from answering tough questions on the healthcare bill, Trump Russia scandal, and Hunter’s recent statement that journalists might ”deserve” assault under certain conditions. Hunter was a no-show at the event, though his aide, Joe Kasper, says the event was moved and was held at a different location.

Some protesters wore bunny ears, drawing attention to $600 paid by Hunter to fly his son’s pet rabbit first class using campaign funds. Hunter is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly diverting over $62,000 in money from his campaign for personal expenses including a family vacation to Italy, video games, expenses to his child’s school, jewelry and more. 

Hunter has denied wrongdoing and contended the expenses were a series of honest mistakes, but did take out a loan secured by his home to repay over $62,000 to his campaign.       

 But finding a company willing to post the billboard proved challenging.  A spokesperson for the group told ECM that Clear Channel requested that artwork be changed from an original version that stated “Shame on Hunter” and had dollar signs.   Clearchannel then reportedly refused to run any photo of Hunter, even the public domain image free of copyright issues, without his permission.  In addition, the company wanted any reference to the criminal investigation removed.

“We are concerned that Clear Channel’s political preferences may have impacted its decision to reject our message,” Pamela Hughes with Indivisible told ECM. Clear Channel has a history of making large donations to Republicans.  “We are willing t work within legal guidelines but must preserve our freedom of speech and the integrity of our message.”

ECM’s call to Clear Channel has not been returned.

Hughes said that another vendor, Lamar, agreed to display the billboard with Hunter’s photo and the modified message listed in the top paragraph above.

Activists say they are continuing to raise funds for additional billboards in Hunter’s district, which has a heavily Republican registration advantage for Hunter.  There are six candidates who have declared intent to run against him on the Democratic side of the aisle and the Democratic Party has indicated it will prioritize funding to support a primary winner, believing Hunter’s seat to be vulnerable due to the criminal probe and controversies over his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, among other issues.  Those issues resulted in a raucous crowd at a town hall meeting in Ramona held by Hunter earlier this year, with vocal opponents apparently outnumbering his supporters.

Hunter fills the seat long held by his father, Duncan Hunter Sr.  A Marine Corps combat veteran, he has been a strong supporter of increased military spending and the conservative agenda of Republican leaders in Congress as well as President Donald Trump.

Hunter has also been an early and consistent supporter of Trump during his presidential campaign and has continued to back the administration policies since the election, actions that have largely bolstered his Trump-backing base but angered many moderates and progressive voters, who have staged increasingly visible protest actions in hopes of flipping the 50^th Congressional district in the 2018 election.