Indicted GOP congressman sends racist campaign mailer while out on bail

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is once again embracing racism and sowing hatred as he gets an early start on his 2020 reelection campaign, Politico reported Friday.

Hunter sent out a campaign mailer linking his likely Democratic opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar, to a 1972 terrorist attack on Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics allegedly carried out by Campa-Najjar’s grandfather. The mailer insinuates that Campa-Najjar, a Christian who was born after his grandfather died, along with Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who are both Muslim, are linked to terrorists and a threat to America.

“[T]hese three radical Democrats want you to forget their anti-semitism or family-terrorist ties!” the mailer from the Hunter campaign says.

Campa-Najjar’s campaign fired back at Hunter’s clear effort to stroke racist and Islamophobic fears.

“The closer Duncan Hunter gets to his criminal trial, the more absurd his lies and racist attacks become,” said Campa-Najjar, according to Politico. “At this point, it’s pretty clear that Congressman Hunter has lost all ability to tell the difference between right and wrong, fact and fiction. It’s one scandal after another, one embarrassing news story after another, one potential crime after another, one courtroom appearance after another, and one lie after another.”

Campa-Najjar is referring to the fact that Hunter was arrested last year on allegations that he illegally used hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds to live a lavish personal lifestyle including international family vacations and even flying his family’s pet rabbit across the country.

Hunter is currently still serving in Congress while out on bail and awaiting his trial.

In a humiliating turn of events, Hunter’s wife, who was also his campaign manager, cut a plea deal with prosecutors and agreed to testify against him.

After she turned on him, prosecutors released information showing Hunter also used campaign funds to carry out multiple affairs with lobbyists and even one staffer. It is unclear if any of his mistresses will be called as witnesses in the trial.

Hunter was kicked off all his congressional committees because of new rules House Republicans were forced to adopt this year with two of their members serving while under federal indictment.

So between court dates, Hunter apparently decided to use his copious free time to send out racist mailers, hoping to use hatred and fear to make people forget about his alleged crimes.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.