Assistant Is Nominated to Succeed Nunez as U.S. Atty.

William Braniff, an assistant U.S. attorney in San Diego with a strong record for going after defense procurement fraud, has been nominated by Sen. Pete Wilson to succeed outgoing U. S. Atty. Peter Nunez, Wilson’s office confirmed Wednesday.

Braniff’s appointment as interim replacement for Nunez was expected to be confirmed by the U.S. attorney general sometime today, according to a spokesman in Wilson’s office.

Braniff’s chances for succeeding Nunez on a more permanent basis hinge on the outcome of November’s presidential elections. If George Bush is elected, his chances are good; if Michael Dukakis is elected, they are questionable.

“If Bush is elected, this is all a moot point,� said Bill Livingstone, Wilson’s press secretary. “If Dukakis wins, and someone wants to make a selection on a basis other than merit, well, maybe they’d choose to replace him. But, if the decision is purely on merit, we think they’ll keep him.�

Extensive Experience Cited

Braniff, 47, lists his main qualification as “experience--I’ve been an assistant U. S. attorney since 1970. I was chief of the criminal division (in the U.S. attorney’s office) in Newark, N.J. I’ve been in this office since June of 1980.

“I’ve handled a lot of major prosecutions involving defense-contracting fraud. I try cases on a regular basis. I write and argue my own appeals. My experience is varied in the types of prosecutions I’ve handled. I’ve done everything from bank robberies to Selective Service scandals to espionage to counterfeiting--in my opinion, the works.�

Braniff said the likelihood of a Dukakis presidency is “just part of the job. You realize in taking the position it’s not forever. In this case, it may be shorter than I’d like. Of course, I’d like it to be longer. I want to do the job.�

Nunez, 46, is leaving after a six-year tenure.

Spokesmen in Wilson’s office said Braniff was an appealing candidate because of his experience in prosecuting both drug traffickers and those involved in defense procurement fraud. Also, he was singled out for praise for an espionage case he prosecuted while working in New Jersey that involved a Soviet spy in the United Nations.

Livingstone described the process of confirmation as follows: A senator recommends a choice to the White House; the President makes the nomination formal; the choice must then be ratified by the Senate. Livingstone said it is “highly doubtful� the nomination can be ratified before President Reagan leaves office.

Braniff, a native of New York, is a paraplegic because of an auto accident in 1960. He served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and was graduated from Rutgers University Law School in 1969.