(June 22, 2007) -- Four days before LB-area voters make their initial choice on a successor to the late Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald who died in cancer in April, a mailer from the Richardson for Congress campaign slams State Senator Jenny Oropeza (D., southbay) for absences from the State Assembly during a six year time frame that appears to include the fall-04/early-05 period in which Oropeza was battling cancer.

"Oropeza Chose her Own Interests Over Our Kids By Going Missing for 137 Days," says the Richardson campaign mailer which charges, "She was absent for 137 days and missed many critical votes on issues affecting the health and safety of California's children."

The mailer cites as its source "CA Legislative attendance records, 2000-06" although the metholodology for the tally couldn't immediately be determined.

Richardson campaign manager Derek Humphrey told LBReport.com that he had no comment on the mailer.

Oropeza campaign manager Parke Skelton said he hadn't seen the mailer and on that basis declined comment.

In fall 2004, then-Assemblywoman Oropeza underwent seven hours of surgery to remove an inch-thick malignant tumor on her liver, followed by week-long chemotherapy sessions with a final treatment in mid-March 2005, her office said at the time. In mid-April 2005, her office said Assemblywoman Oropeza was declared free of any traces of cancer.