By Miriam Raftery
January 13, 2018 (El Cajon) – On Thursday, one day after revelations that a Grand Jury has been convened and issued a subpoena in a federal criminal investigation into Congressman Duncan Hunter’s alleged use of campaign finances for personal use, the progressive group Indivisible called on Hunter to resign.
“We organized a retirement rally outside Hunter’s office,” says Killian Colin, who sent these photos to ECM. “I am the one with the bunny ears.” The bunny symbolizes the Hunter family’s pet rabbit, for whom a first-class airplane ticket was purchased with campaign funds that were also used to fund a family vacation to Italy, jewelry purchases at an Italian jewelry store, oral surgeon bills and tuition at a school attended by the Congressman’s children.
Hunter has denied wrongdoing but did repay his campaign $60,000. He has told other media he has no plans to resign, even after the Grand Jury issued a subpoena to a local business for records related to the investigation. He has not responded to ECM’s questions including whether he would reconsider resigning if the Grand Jury issues an indictment.
San Diego’s other Republican Congressman, Darrell Issa, announced this week that he is retiring from his 49th Congressional District seat, but has left the door open to running in the 50th district if Hunter decides to resign or not seek reelection.
Several other candidates are in the running, including two well-funded Democrats, former Obama administration official Ammar Campa-Najjar and ex-Navy Seal Josh Butner, as well as Republican candidates including business owner Shamus Sayed, Sheriff commander Andrew Zelt, and attorney Joshua Schoonover.
At the rally, signs urged voters to take action in the June primary or November election to “pink slip Hunter” if the embattled Congressman runs for reelection instead of opting to resign or retire at the end of his term.