Former Republican California Rep.Duncan Hunter on Tuesday was sentenced to 11 months in prison for violating campaign finance laws.
This comes as Hunter and his wife pleaded not guilty in August of 2018 to a list of charges that say the two illegally used his campaign account for personal expenses. The two pleaded not guilty after it was reported that they illegally spent more than $250,000 in campaign funds on vacations and personal items. The two were using this money between 2009 and 2016, according to the Department of Justice.
Duncan Hunter resigned from Congress on January 13 after pleading guilty to misusing campaign funds in December.
According to Bloomberg reporter, Emma Kinery, Hunter announced he would be resigning from Congress on January 13 just a month after he said in an interview with KUSI News, that he would plead guilty to one count of misusing campaign funds. Hunter will enter his guilty plea in a hearing in federal court in San Diego, California on Tuesday morning, according to NBC News.
“I did make mistakes. I did not properly monitor or account for my campaign money,” he said in the interview. “I am responsible for my campaign and what happens to my campaign money.”
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) speaks to the media before a painting he found offensive and removed is rehung on the U.S. Capitol walls on January 10, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The congressman and his wife, Margaret Hunter, were charged with conspiracy against the U.S., wire fraud, falsification of records, and prohibited use of campaign contributions. The Republican, who won his primary election in June, had a bail of $15,000 set. His wife’s bail was set at $10,000. (RELATED: Rep. Duncan Hunter Indicted For Allegedly Misusing $250K In Campaign Funds)
The FBI began investigating the Hunters in June 2016 after the Federal Election Commission and San Diego Union-Tribune found problems with their campaign expenditures.
“The indictment alleges that Congressman Hunter and his wife repeatedly dipped into campaign coffers as if they were personal bank accounts, and falsified FEC campaign finance reports to cover their tracks,” U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman said in a statement.
Hunter was removed from his committee assignments until the case is over, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in 2018. (RELATED: Duncan Hunter Steps Down From House Committee Assignments)
“The charges against Rep. Hunter are deeply serious. The Ethics Committee deferred its investigation at the request of the Justice Department,” Ryan said in a statement Tuesday. “Now that he has been indicted, Rep. Hunter will be removed from his committee assignments pending the resolution of this matter.”
Since indicted, a spokesperson for Hunter said the congressman believes the charges against him and his wife are “purely politically motivated.”