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Allan O. Hunter

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For other people named Allan Hunter, see Allan Hunter (disambiguation).
Allan O. Hunter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 12th district
In office
January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1955
Preceded byCecil F. White
Succeeded byBernice F. Sisk
Constituency9th district (1951–1953)
12th district (1953–1955)
Personal details
Born(1916-06-15)June 15, 1916
Los Angeles, California
DiedMay 2, 1995(1995-05-02) (aged 78)
Bethesda, Maryland
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDixie Lee Hunter[1]

Allan Oakley Hunter (June 15, 1916 – May 2, 1995) was an American lawyer and politician. Hunter, a Republican, served as the United States representative for California's 9th congressional district from 1951 to 1953 and for California's 12th congressional district from 1953 to 1955.[2]

After his stint in elective office, Hunter served as the president and chairman of the Federal National Mortgage Association (commonly known as Fannie Mae) from 1970 to 1981.[3]

Early life and education

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Hunter was born on June 15, 1916, in Los Angeles, California. After attending public school in Fresno, California, he went on to Fresno State College.[3] After graduating from the college in 1937, Hunter attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and graduated from there with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1940.

Early career

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After being admitted to the bar the same year, he became a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation until 1944.[3]

World War II

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He then served in the United States Naval Reserve Office of Strategic Services in England and Germany with a special counterintelligence unit (SCU) under the Sixth Army Group from 1944 to 1946.[3]

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After returning from World War II, Hunter started his law practice in Fresno, and continued until 1950 when he decided to run for the House of Representatives seat of the 9th congressional district.

Congress

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In the 9th district, the Republican Hunter defeated Democratic incumbent Cecil F. White in a close race, capturing 76,015 votes to White's 70,201 votes, giving Hunter the 52%-48% margin.[4]

In 1952, Hunter was a delegate from California in the Republican National Convention.[2] In that year's House election, Hunter ran unopposed for the seat in the state's 12th congressional district and won the election after capturing 99.3% of the vote.[5]

In the 1954 House election, Hunter faced a tough re-election against political newcomer Democrat Bernice F. Sisk. Sisk defeated Hunter in the election with a 53.8%-46.2% majority.[6]

Career after Congress

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After losing his re-election bid, he became the general counsel with the Housing and Home Finance Agency in Washington, D.C., the following year. He served in that position until July 1957 when he resigned in order to continue his law practice in Fresno.

Three years later, he was again a delegate to the 1960 Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.[3]

For the next ten years, he collaborated on the development and operation of the Rossmoor Leisure World Communities in California. From 1966 to 1969, Hunter served as chairman of California's state commission of housing and community development.[3]

Fannie Mae

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In January 1970, Hunter was chosen by then-President Richard Nixon to become the chairman of the Federal National Mortgage Association, the nation's largest provider of housing finance.[7] In 1978, tension started to rise between Hunter and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Patricia Roberts Harris. Harris specifically felt that the organization was too concerned about making money and "too unconcerned with stimulating mortgage lending for low-income housing in the cities."[7] Hunter's resignation was being called for by the Carter White House and by the directors of the company's board. In November 1977, a vote for Hunter's resignation failed by an 8–6 margin.[7]

Retirement

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Hunter was eventually replaced by David O. Maxwell as Fannie Mae's chairman and president in 1981.[8] After Maxwell left a $7.56 million yearly salary with Fannie Mae and retired with a $19.6 million pension, Hunter said, "Executive compensation at Fannie Mae has run amok."[9] Hunter himself retired with a $80,000 pension in 1981, and said that he believed that the CEOs of government-backed corporations shouldn't make the million-dollar salaries found in the private sector.[9] Hunter also said in an interview, "I don't think it's justified by any rational standard."[10]

Death

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Hunter died on May 2, 1995, in a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, after a heart attack.[1][11]

Electoral history

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United States House of Representatives elections, 1950[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Allan O. Hunter 76,015 52
Democratic Cecil F. White (incumbent) 70,201 48
Total votes 146,216 100.0
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic
1952 United States House of Representatives elections[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Allan O. Hunter (Incumbent) 103,587 100.0%
Turnout
Republican hold
1954 United States House of Representatives elections[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic B. F. Sisk 63,911 53.8%
Republican Allan O. Hunter (Incumbent) 54,903 46.2%
Total votes 118,814 100.0%
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican

References

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  1. ^ a b Kenneth N. Gilpin (May 5, 1995). "Allan Oakley Hunter Obituary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  2. ^ a b Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Allan Oakley Hunter Information". The Political Graveyard. Archived from the original on 9 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Allan Oakley Hunter Profile". United States Congress. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  4. ^ John L. Moore, ed. (1994). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. p. 1543. ISBN 0-87187-996-4. pg. 1214
  5. ^ Moore (1994), pg. 1219
  6. ^ Moore (1994), pg. 1224
  7. ^ a b c "Feud over Fannie Mae". Time. February 27, 1978. Archived from the original on November 24, 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  8. ^ "History Of Fannie Mae". AllieMae. Archived from the original on 2004-09-05. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  9. ^ a b Sarah Anderson, John Cavanagh and Ralph Estes (September 1, 1999). "David Maxwell, Fannie Mae". United for a Fair Economy. Archived from the original on 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  10. ^ John Mintz, "Congress Puts a Crimp in Defense Executives' Paychecks," The Washington Post, October 11, 1994, p. C1
  11. ^ "Allan Hunter, representative in 1950s, dies". The Washington Post. May 3, 1995. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  12. ^ 1950 election results
  13. ^ "1952 election results" (PDF).
  14. ^ "1954 election results" (PDF).
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 9th congressional district
1951–1953 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 12th congressional district
1953–1955 		Succeeded by
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