After Blaming Her for Stealing, Hunter Says ‘Leave My Wife Out of It’

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Last updated on September 26th, 2018 at 06:17 am

The Trump-supporting Republican Congressman who blamed his wife for mishandling their campaign finances is now telling the press to leave his wife out of their reports about the scandal. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), said in an interview on Tuesday that his wife should not be a target.

“Indicted GOP lawmaker says to “leave my wife out of it” after blaming her for the charges”

Hunter, a very early congressional backer of Donald Trump’s, was the subject of a federal indictment last week where he was charged with using his campaign funds illegally to pay for personal expenses for him and his family. The indictment went into great detail about how the Hunters used $250,000 of campaign funds for fancy vacations, meals in expensive restaurants, ski trips and even monthly household expenses. In some cases Mrs. Hunter, who kept the accounting records for the Hunter campaign fund, made false entries in her journal, saying the expenses were for charitable donations to veterans group.

“Leave my wife out of it, leave my family out of it,” Hunter told San Diego news channel KGTV in a brief interview on Tuesday. “It’s me they’re after anyway. They’re not after my wife; they want to take me down, that’s what they’re up to. So let’s get this in the arena and have this settled.”

But Hunter, who said the people prosecuting him and his wife were on a “witch hunt,” just five days earlier had sung a different tune about Mrs. Hunter’s involvement in the case when doing a Fox News interview.

“When I went to Iraq in 2003, the first time, I gave her power of attorney, and she handled my finances throughout my entire military career and that continued on when I got into Congress,” Hunter said in the interview, making reference to his wife. “She was also the campaign manager so whatever she did, that’ll be looked at too, I’m sure. But I didn’t do it. I didn’t spend any money illegally.”

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Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.