It’s hard to be too surprised about the recent indictment of Rep. Duncan Hunter, the San Diego-area Republican accused (along with his wife) of using $250,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses including a trip to Italy, massive bar tabs and video games. OK, it’s startling whenever any congressman faces charges, but the federal indictment probably won’t shock those who have followed past news reports about a man sometimes mocked as a member of the GOP “Bros Caucus” because of his apparent frat-boy lifestyle.
The 47-page indictment also accuses the couple of filing false campaign-finance records. There’s the allegation that his wife, Margaret, spent $152 on cosmetics and told the campaign they were gift-basket items for a charity. Even tackier, the Justice Department alleges that when Rep. Hunter wanted to buy “Hawaii shorts,” his wife allegedly told him to buy them at a golf pro shop so they could attribute the expense to balls for wounded warriors. We’ve long known about the $600 to fly their pet rabbit on a trip—something the campaign attributes to an innocent billing mistake. But there’s little mistaking the lifestyle enjoyed by this servant of the people.
The Hunters pleaded not guilty and deny the allegations. Rep. Hunter’s statement accuses the Justice Department of waging a political witch hunt designed to harm his re-election chances. He said the campaign made mistakes but they repaid those things.
But probably the most interesting news is that despite this terrible publicity, Duncan Hunter remains the odds-on favorite to retain his congressional seat in November, writes Steven Greenhut.
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