With no emotion in his voice, Congressman Duncan D. Hunter Tuesday morning pled guilty to Count One of his Aug. 21, 2018 indictment: conspiring with co-defender Margaret Hunter to knowingly and willingly convert Duncan D. Hunter for Congress Campaign Committee (“The Campaign”) funds to personal use.
According to a plea arrangement with federal prosecutors, in exchange for change of plea the remaining counts in the indictment will be dropped at the time of sentencing.
Those dropped charges include more than 40 counts of wire fraud, approximately 10 counts of falsification of records related to campaign finance, and multiple prohibited uses of campaign contributions.
The crime of conspiracy carries the penalties of a maximum of five years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release, a maximum fine of $250,000 and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
Hunter was indicted in August 2018, prior to the November election where he narrowly beat Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar by approximately 3% of the votes in the district, which stretches from Temecula through unincorporated East San Diego county.
Since that indictment, Hunter has continued to serve as congressman.
After submitting his guilty plea and leaving the dimly-lit courtroom, Hunter paused outside the Federal courthouse to briefly address the media but did not discuss in detail any plans he might have to resign from Congress.
Two protestors stood nearby: one man screaming his criticism of Congressman Duncan D. Hunter at anyone in earshot, and 76-year old Glenn Rose who stood calmly holding a sign demanding jail time for the Congressman.
“I think that justice should be served. He threw his wife under the bus and says that his three children are the reason he is pleading guilty but I doubt it,” Rose said.
Margaret Hunter previously pled guilty on June 11, 2019 to Count One of the indictment through a similar deal that will see all other charges dropped at the trial.
On Oct. 29, 2019, she was granted her request to have her trial rescheduled for April 6, 2020, well after her husband is sentenced.
Following a brief statement, the former Marine quickly descended the Federal courthouse steps with his father and legal team.
U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan scheduled Hunter’s sentencing for March 17, 2020, well after the primary election that will take place on March 3.
Hunter is currently running against six other candidates in an effort to retain his seat as Congressman of the 50th district, a position he has held since 2008 when he was elected to succeed his father, Duncan Hunter.
