By Tamar
The wife of a California congressman on Thursday pleaded guilty to blowing through more than $200,000 of campaign funds, including to pay for lavish vacations and plane tickets for the family’s pet rabbit, Eggburt.
Margaret Hunter, the wife of Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, admitted in San Diego court that the couple used campaign funds “as their personal bank account,” to pay for trips to Las Vegas and Disneyland, as well as a $10,000 Italy excursion, the US attorney’s office said.
They also used the dough for shopping sprees, to play golf and on private school tuition for their kids, Hunter admitted.
Among the expenses were, $500 for airline travel for Eggburt; $399 for zip lining for Hunter and two of his kids; and $351 for a family lunch.
The couple concealed the alleged crimes between 2010 and 2016 by designating the expenses as “campaign related,” according to the plea agreement.
The agreement describes how the couple were living paycheck to paycheck and were always in debt. The improper spending started when they realized their household budget was in tatters and they were being charged tens of thousands of dollars in overdraft and credit card fees, authorities said.
Margaret Hunter had initially pleaded not guilty but changed her plea Thursday, owning up to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, for which she could face a sentence of five years in prison.
As part of the new plea agreement, Hunter is required to help in the investigation of her husband, who has also been indicted and not changed his not guilty plea.
The congressman — who was reelected in November’s midterm elections despite the indictment — repeated in a statement that he was being targeted by Democrats.
“It was politically motivated at the beginning, it remains politically motivated now,” said Hunter, who is a close ally of President Trump.
His lawyer told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Margaret Hunter’s guilty plea does not “change anything” in her husband’s case.
“At this time, that does not change anything regarding Congressman Hunter,” Gregory Vega said. “There are still significant motions that need to be litigated.”
