Former California Rep. Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in jail for violating marketing campaign finance legislation.
The sentence was handed down by Decide Thomas Whelan in San Diego Tuesday morning. Hunter, a Republican, pled responsible in December to prices that he used marketing campaign funds for a big selection of private bills. He resigned his seat in early January.
Hunter’s indictment accused him of utilizing over $250,000 in marketing campaign contributions for private issues, together with a trip to Italy, personal faculty tuition, and dental work, as Vox’s Tara Golshan explained on the time:
“All through the related interval, the Hunters spent considerably greater than they earned,” the indictment reads, citing greater than 1,000 financial institution overdraft charges in a seven-year time span and the household repeatedly maxing out bank cards. On the heart of the indictment is Hunter’s spouse, whom the lawmaker put in as his paid marketing campaign supervisor as a result of the household “wanted the additional cash,” the indictment states.
The misuse of marketing campaign funds extends to the acquisition of video video games; greater than $25,000 in household holidays to Italy, Hawaii, Las Vegas, London, and different locations; greater than $15,000 in airline tickets for the household, pals, and the pet rabbit; meals and alcohol; vacation presents; and extra.
In keeping with the indictment, these purchases have been typically hid to the marketing campaign treasurer as miscellaneous bills or marketing campaign actions and even reported as fraudulent.
After a yearlong Division of Justice investigation, Hunter was additionally charged with wire fraud and falsifying paperwork. Now he’s going to jail, however not essentially straight away. Due to the pressure the coronavirus pandemic has had on the California courtroom system, Decide Whelan mentioned that Hunter wouldn’t have to show himself in till late Could.
Regardless of being below indictment, Hunter persevered in his reelection marketing campaign in 2018, narrowly winning his House race towards Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar. Voters will determine who fills his now-vacated seat this fall between Campa-Najjar and former Republican Rep. Darrell Issa.