FACT WATCH : Hunter’s Credibility

Assemblywoman Tricia Hunter (R-Bonita) strains credibility with her defense of the 13,000 letters she sent at public expense to constituents in the final days of her primary campaign. The letters went out in batches of 199--the maximum number of “substantially similar” letters allowed monthly under Proposition 73. Sixty-seven groups of Hunter’s constituents in the 76th District received missives on topics such as child care and legislation on voting aids for the disabled.

When her opponent complained about the May 31 letters, Hunter called the timing a fluke, saying that she had finally won approval from the Assembly Rules Committee to use a special computer program.

As the “Saturday Night Live” Church Lady might have responded: “How conveeenient!”

Hunter, an abortion-rights advocate who won a nationally publicized special election in 1989 after the Supreme Court’s Webster decision, added: “I don’t need name ID. That’s the last thing in the world I need. I probably have more name ID than any person in this Assembly, except for maybe Willie Brown.”

Hunter’s formidable name ID helped her squeak out a 51.6% to 48.4% primary victory in the staunchly conservative district, which covers parts of San Diego and Riverside counties.

Ironically, the law repealed in 1988 by the passage of Proposition 73 would have prevented Hunter from sending any mail to constituents before Election Day. Under the old code, there was no limit on the number of letters legislators could send to constituents--but no mailings were allowed after an incumbent filed as a candidate in a general election.