Crooked politician finally admits guilt, concedes prosecution is not a ‘witch hunt’ as Feds demand year in prison for GOP Rep Duncan Hunter, who admitted spending campaign cash on mistresses, tequila shots and first class travel for his pet rabbit
Federal prosecutors want congressman caught with his hand in the cookie jar to spend year in prison
Duncan Hunter [R-Calif], finally pled guilty to embezzlement of $250,000 in campaign funds in a deal with federal prosecutors in San Diego, Tuesday
The Republican congressman had fought allegations for more than a year and called it a ‘witch hunt’ claiming he was being targeted like Donald Trump
Duncan denied culpability and blamed his campaign manager, Margaret Hunter, incidentally his wife, who was similarly charged with campaign finance mismanagement
However, after his wife Margaret took a plea deal which would have seen her testify, he changed his tune and admitted to corruption
Campaign cash was illegally spent on entertaining string of mistresses, family trips abroad, and even a first class ticket for Eggburt the Hunters’ pet rabbit
Hunter, 42, is yet to say when he will stand down; he is scion of political dynasty and his father Duncan Hunter Sr. held the 50th CA District before him
Margaret and Duncan Hunter could have faced decades in prison before the plea deals, with Margaret’s plea deal she faces up to five years in prison – same as her husband
Hunter, one of first two GOP congressmen to endorse then candidate Trump, exited the courthouse to a crowd jeered ‘lock him up’ and holding up signs saying ‘Trump next’
New York GOP Congressman Chris Collins, who quit the House in Sept after pleading guilty to insider trading, was the other early supporter of Trump
Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves court Monday to chants of ‘lock him up’. On Tuesday he recanted his earlier position that probe was a witch hunt, finally admitting to his $250,000 corrupt use of campaign funds
Hunter, who had fought the allegations for more than a year, showed no emotion in the courtroom and only spoke in affirming his guilty plea.
Outside, he offered a brief statement, saying, ‘I failed to monitor an account for my campaign spending. I made mistakes and that’s what today was all about.’
Hunter who succeeded his father, also named Duncan Hunter, as the representative for the very conservative congressional district, when he was first elected in 2008 declined to say when he would leave office.
Prosecutor Phil Halpern noted Hunter’s honorable service in the Marine Corps and his place in a family that has been a local political dynasty, one that has hung on to the seat for 39 years. But he had a sharp rebuke for the congressman´s claim that the investigation was a politically motivated ‘witch-hunt.’
‘No figure, regardless of what office they occupy, should be allowed in this country to cry witch-hunt or fake news and attempt to deflect their criminal wrongdoings,’ Halpern said.
Halpern vowed to seek a prison term for Hunter of at least a year, although the plea agreement calls for the congressman to serve a maximum of five years.
The congressman started off putting the blame for the malfeasance on his wife Margaret [seen with him in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas in 2015], she then turned, took a plea deal first and would have testified against him
Rep. Duncan Hunter who said in a TV interview that aired Monday that he is prepared to go to jail, gave a brief statement characterizing his crime as ‘a mistake,’ outside San Diego federal court house after pleading guilty on Tuesday
![Duncan Hunter Jr [left], with Donald Trump [center], and his father, Duncan Hunter Sr [right] 1.JPG](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Duncan-Hunter-Jr-left-with-Donald-Trump-center-and-his-father-Duncan-Hunter-Sr-right-1.jpg?resize=620%2C408&ssl=1)
Duncan Hunter [left], was an enthusiastic Donald Trump supporter. His father, also Duncan Hunter [right], represented the district before his son. The political dynasty has held that seat for red district for 39 years
For more than a year, Hunter had insisted that criminal charges against him and his wife were the result of a conspiracy of the ‘deep state’ meant to drive him from office in the Democrat-dominated state.
Hunter, was early supporter of President Donald Trump. He was reported by Politico to have endorsed him on the same day as Chris Collins, a New York Republican, who were jointly the first two members of the House to officially support him.
Collins resigned from Congress in September after pleading guilty to insider trading.
Hunter said in a TV interview that aired Monday that he is prepared to go to jail.
The change in plea marks the second time this year a Republican congressman who was re-elected while indicted has later pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Hunter, 42, told San Diego TV station KUSI a trial would be tough on his three children.
‘I think it would be really tough for them,’ he said. ‘It’s hard enough being the kids of a public figure. I think it´s time for them to live life outside the spotlight.’
But he admitted ‘mistakes’ and said he had agreed to plead guilty to only one count of ‘misuse of my own campaign funds.’
‘I think it’s important that people know that I did make mistakes. I did not properly monitor or account for my campaign money. I justify my plea with the understanding that I am responsible for my own campaign and my own campaign money,’ he said, while revealing nothing about the life of luxury the embezzled money allowed him to enjoy.
Margaret Hunter, [photo], the wife of indicted Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter has already pled guilty to misusing campaign funds and faces up to five years are sentencing. She turned on her husband after he threw her to the wolves
Prosecutors also revealed Hunter spent some of the money on romantic relationships with lobbyists and congressional aides.
In trying unsuccessfully to exclude evidence of his affairs from a January trial, Duncan’s lawyers argued that his relationships with the lobbyists and congressional aides he is accused of sleeping with helped his campaigns in a way that his supporters intend for their contributions to be used.
‘However unpopular the notion of a married man mixing business with pleasure, the Government cannot simply dismiss the reality that Mr. Hunter’s relationships with Individual’s 14-18 often served an overtly political purpose that would not have existed irrespective of his occupation,’ Hunter’s attorneys wrote.
They also claimed that the ‘salacious allegations’ would taint the jury pool as soon as they were heard in court.
![Donald Trump [left], Chris Collins [center] and Duncan Hunter [right] 1.JPG](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Donald-Trump-left-Chris-Collins-center-and-Duncan-Hunter-right-1.jpg?resize=620%2C406&ssl=1)
The president’s men: The first two members of the House to endorse Donald Trump were Chris Collins from NY, [center], and Duncan Hunter from Calif., [right]. Both now face jail time after admitting to federal felonies
Hunter’s departure will mark the end of a political dynasty in Southern California´s most Republican district. His father represented the district for 28 years prior to Hunter’s 2008 election.
In October, former four-term Republican Rep. Chris Collins of New York pled guilty in an insider trading case, a day after he resigned from Congress. He faces a maximum sentence of about four years in prison.
The two legislators were the first two members of congress to support candidate Trump
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