Oilman Recalls Encounter With ‘El Bandito’ : Corruption trial: He says Montoya cast a favorable vote, then quickly hinted that payment was due.

State Sen. Joseph B. Montoya once cast his vote in favor of a bill to help independent oil producers and then promptly hinted that he expected payment from the group, an official of the organization testified Tuesday.

Thomas Hunt, executive vice president of the California Independent Petroleum Assn., said Montoya approached the group’s lobbyist minutes after voting for the bill and asked, “Has my matter been taken care of?”

Hunt said he was “disgusted” by Montoya’s statement, which he interpreted as an attempt to make sure the group delivered on a pledge to give the senator a $500 campaign contribution.

At the time of the brief encounter with Montoya, the Whittier Democrat’s aggressive fund-raising efforts had already earned him the nickname “El Bandito,” Hunt told the jury.

Montoya is on trial on 12 counts of extortion, racketeering, bribery and money laundering stemming from an undercover federal investigation of Capitol political corruption.

The charges stem from eight separate incidents involving a variety of bills, including the 1987 legislation to help independent producers of natural gas compete against giant utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric.

The measure, authored by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles), was designed to help the small producers form cooperatives so they could sell gas directly to cities and factories. The bill passed the Assembly easily and was sent to the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, of which Montoya was a member.

Hunt testified that the petroleum association was advised by its lobbyist, former Assemblyman Robert Cline, to give a campaign contribution to Montoya and several other committee members.

Montoya was singled out for a contribution because he had missed committee meetings in the past, Hunt testified.

“This would help ensure that at least the senator would be there,” Hunt said. “This would help ensure his attention to the merits of the bill. And also, Sen. Montoya liked to help people who were interested in his political future.”

Montoya read a newspaper during the committee meeting and another member slept, Hunt recalled, but ultimately the panel approved the bill on a 7-0 vote with Montoya voting for the measure.

Hunt said that as he, Cline and other members of the oil group stood in a hallway outside the committee room savoring their victory, Montoya walked by and asked the lobbyist, “Has my matter been taken care of?”

Cline was taken aback but responded, “Yes senator, I think so. I’ll check on it for you,” Hunt recalled. After the senator walked away, Hunt said, Cline called Montoya “El Bandito.”

Hunt, who once worked as a lobbyist in Louisiana, told the jury: “I was disgusted that an official, particularly a senator, would ask that question right after a vote. I was dismayed that this sort of thing was happening in California.”

After the brief conversation with Montoya, Cline checked the group’s records and confirmed that a $500 check had been sent to Montoya by the oil producers’ political action committee, Hunt testified.