Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and his wife, Margaret, were indicted on Tuesday for misusing $250,000 worth of campaign funds for personal expenses and filing false campaign finance records, CNN reported.
"The charges of wire fraud, falsifying records, campaign finance violations and conspiracy were the culmination of a Department of Justice investigation that has stretched for more than a year, during which the Republican congressman from California has maintained his innocence," CNN reported.
Unusual charges on Hunter's credit card included "an Italian vacation, dental work, purchases at a surf shop, and huge tabs at bars in restaurants in the San Diego and Washington, DC, areas." One of the strangest charges was for a flight for their pet rabbit which one of Hunter's aides said was charged to the wrong credit card.
Hunter said wrongful spending did occur but it wasn't by him. He blames his wife, who was also his campaign manager, for charging the campaign's credit card.
Last year, Hunter's lawyer said any mistaken charges were inadvertent and done unintentionally.
Republicans in the district had worried about the indictment ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Hunter's otherwise safe district, which encompasses eastern San Diego, could flip Democratic in November.
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