Who says true love is dead?
Rep. Duncan Hunter pleaded not guilty this week to fraud and conspiracy charges, including that he spent $250,000 worth of campaign funds on personal expenses. But even if the California Republican is telling the truth, he’s still a weasel. He is shifting blame to his wife, Margaret, who was also indicted this week.
“She was also the campaign manager, so whatever she did that’ll be looked at too, I’m sure,” the congressman told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Thursday, stressing his wife handled all campaign spending. “But I didn’t do it. I didn’t spend any money illegally.”
Authorities have charged the Hunters with conspiracy, wire fraud, falsification of records related to campaign finance, and prohibited use of campaign contributions.
“My campaign did make mistakes,” Hunter claimed. “There was money spent on things not by me but by the campaign, and I paid that back before my last election.”
The congressman will likely have a harder time explaining these remarks to his wife than explaining to her the nature of his relationship with the D.C. residents identified in the indictment as individuals “14” and “18,” and why he spent $162.02 getting a room at the Liaison Capitol Hill hotel with the former and why he spent $32.27 taking an Uber at 7:40 a.m. from the latter’s home to his office.
Even if it’s true that Hunter, a former U.S. Marine, gave his wife power of attorney in 2003 when he went to Iraq, and that she is thus responsible for his personal and campaign finances, his responses to the indictment has not been exemplary, to put it politely.
On top of heaving his wife under the bus this week, the Republican lawmaker also complained that his congressional salary isn’t good enough.
MacCallum asked, “I mean, $174,000 per year is what a member of Congress makes. Do you think they should make more than that, is it not enough to live on?”
The congressman, whose district includes San Diego, responded, “It depends where you live. It’s difficult to live in a place like San Francisco or San Diego or New York or D.C. It’s probably easier to live in Kansas or Missouri, so it’s all relative.”
But as the Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli noted this week, “Hunter’s salary was more than two and a half times greater than the median household income of a California family: $64,500.”
Also, in 2016, “the average median income nationwide was $59,039.”
My heart bleeds for the congressman.
Following news of the indictment, House leaders removed Hunter from his three committee assignments, which included spots on the House Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Education and the Workforce Committees.
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This story has been updated.
