08-23-2018, 04:03 PM
California Schemin'
![[Image: wire-4028294-1534893063-549_634x562.jpg]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/08/22/00/wire-4028294-1534893063-549_634x562.jpg)
-- Representative Duncan Hunter and his wife Margaret Hunter pleaded not guilty to using more than $250,000 in campaign funds for groceries, golf trips, tequila shots, overseas vacations and such today in San Diego.
--They arrived separately at the courthouse to shouts of 'lock him up' and sat four seats apart as 60 counts of fraud charges were read against them.
--The indictment alleges the money was taken between 2009 and 2016.
-- Bond was set at $15,000 for him and $10,000 for her; they were ordered to turn in their firearms, submit to drug tests, and avoid international travel.
-- The couple allegedly concealed the misuse by falsifying campaign finance records, claiming the expenses as campaign-related.
--Hunter's lawyers said in 2017 that Hunter and his wife repaid the campaign about $60,000; Hunter's office said at the time that one of the charges he repaid was a $600 fee for flying a pet bunny with his family.
--Hunter won his June primary contest and election officials said there is no way to remove him from the November ballot.
-- Hunter was seen as an up-and-coming member of Congress. A former Marine, he served three tours as an artillery officer in Afghanistan and Iraq, fighting in some of the bloodiest battles in Fallujah.
--The House Ethics panel had investigated allegations that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses; the panel said in March that it was delaying its inquiry at the request of the Justice Department.
(continued)
-- Representative Duncan Hunter and his wife Margaret Hunter pleaded not guilty to using more than $250,000 in campaign funds for groceries, golf trips, tequila shots, overseas vacations and such today in San Diego.
--They arrived separately at the courthouse to shouts of 'lock him up' and sat four seats apart as 60 counts of fraud charges were read against them.
--The indictment alleges the money was taken between 2009 and 2016.
-- Bond was set at $15,000 for him and $10,000 for her; they were ordered to turn in their firearms, submit to drug tests, and avoid international travel.
-- The couple allegedly concealed the misuse by falsifying campaign finance records, claiming the expenses as campaign-related.
--Hunter's lawyers said in 2017 that Hunter and his wife repaid the campaign about $60,000; Hunter's office said at the time that one of the charges he repaid was a $600 fee for flying a pet bunny with his family.
--Hunter won his June primary contest and election officials said there is no way to remove him from the November ballot.
-- Hunter was seen as an up-and-coming member of Congress. A former Marine, he served three tours as an artillery officer in Afghanistan and Iraq, fighting in some of the bloodiest battles in Fallujah.
--The House Ethics panel had investigated allegations that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses; the panel said in March that it was delaying its inquiry at the request of the Justice Department.
(continued)