GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter is facing backlash for pretending to cross the U.S.-Mexico border — something his Democratic opponent says would have violated the terms of the congressman’s parole stemming from federal charges of misusing campaign funds.
The California lawmaker posted a video on social media on Thursday claiming to be “15 meters” from the U.S.-Mexico border before walking over to a fence he alleged was the only thing separating migrants seeking asylum from entering the U.S. by foot.
“It looks pretty tough to cross. Let me see if I can do it,” Hunter said in the video, before hopping over the waist-high fence, which serves as a vehicle barrier. “That’s how easy it is to cross the border here in Yuma, Arizona.”
But his suggestion was quickly debunked.
Border Patrol officials told The Times of San Diego that the official border is the Colorado River, which is further away from the vehicle barrier Hunter crossed.
“What [Hunter] crossed was a vehicle barrier,” said Border Patrol spokesman Vincent Dulesky told the paper, who helped lead a tour Wednesday night for members of Congress at the border. “That is approximately 75-100 feet from the border — the border is actually the river that’s west of that.”
Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Hunter…
