Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), who along with his wife has been charged with and pleaded not guilty to allegations of illegally using campaign funds and attempting to conceal the misuse in federal records, put the blame squarely on his wife’s shoulders Thursday.
“I’m saying when I went to Iraq in 2003 the first time I gave her power of attorney and she handled my finances throughout my entire military career and that continued on when I got to Congress since I’m gone five days and home for two,” he said to Fox News’ Martha McCallum. “She was also the campaign manager. So whatever she did, that will be looked at, too, I’m sure. But I didn’t do it.”
He went on to assert that the charges come from politically-motivated Democrats in the Department of Justice trying to sink his reelection effort.
Throughout the interview, Hunter also called his reelection challenger, Ammar Campa-Najjar, a democratic socialist.
Hunter ended his talking points maintaining his assurance that despite the looming legal peril, he will win back his seat.
Besides this televised betrayal, other cracks have been showing in the Hunters’ relationship.
Per a San Diego NBC affiliate, the couple arrived separately to court on Thursday when they pleaded not guilty to the charges, and did not exchange eye contact when inside the room.
They also left separately, the congressman to crowds of protestors shouting “shame!” and “lock him up!”
From a local reporter:
Congressman Duncan Hunter shows up to court for arraignment. I haven’t spotted wife yet @10News pic.twitter.com/i0GW7sGWNz
— Mimi Elkalla (@10NewsMimi) August 23, 2018
Watch part of Hunter’s interview below:
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 24, 2018
