California Republican Representative Duncan Hunter is facing new allegations that he misused campaign funds to pursue numerous romantic relationships with congressional staffers and lobbyists.
In a new filing on Monday night, federal prosecutors requested the court to allow them to disclose to jurors new accusations against Rep. Hunter during his upcoming trial on alleged violations of campaign finance laws.
Federal Prosecutors explained that it is important to disclose the new allegations to establish Rep. Hunter’s nature of expenditures and “motive to embezzle from his campaign.” They also stated that the disclosure will show the Republican lawmaker’s intention to violate the law.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Rep. Hunter repeatedly used campaign funds to pay for personal expenses including his five extramarital affairs. He allegedly used campaign funds to rent a car, pay for hotel rooms, plain ticket, food and drinks while pursuing his romantic relationships.
“Evidence of the intimate, entirely personal quality of Hunter’s specific encounters with these women is essential to demonstrate that his spending to facilitate those encounters was improper. At trial, the evidence will demonstrate that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pursue these romances wholly unrelated to either his congressional campaigns or his official duties as a member of Congress,” according to prosecutors in the filing.
Mrs. Hunter already admitted their wrongdoing
In August last year, federal prosecutors indicted Rep. Hunter and his wife Margaret for allegedly falsifying campaign records submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
