WASHINGTON — California Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hunter, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that they used more than $250,000 in campaign funds to fund family vacations, school tuition and dental work among other things, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Despite repeated warnings from Hunter's treasurer the couple plowed forward with lavish spending. Often concealing their purchases by mischaracterizing what they were in Federal Elections Commission filings, according to the indictment.
The Hunter’s went on family vacations using campaign cash, according to the indictment, including a $14,000 Thanksgiving trip to Italy and $6,500 jaunt to Hawaii. They spent more than $15,000 on plane tickets and hotel rooms for their children, relatives and friends — and a family pet.
The couple also used campaign money to fund meals at over a dozen luxe steakhouses and restaurants. But the family also spent over $3,300 at fast food restaurants.
Hunter has been under federal investigation since March 2017 after the House Ethics Committee deferred their probe to DOJ. At the time attorneys for Hunter said he "became aware of expenditure issues confronting his campaign committee … Out of an abundance of caution, he took corrective action in consultation with the FEC and, ultimately, he and his wife personally repaid the campaign approximately $60,000," the statement said.
