In a blue state like California, it makes a perverse kind of sense that Republicans who are able to successfully convince enough people to elect them might think they can pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. But for Duncan Hunter, who represents the two-thirds white, financially secure 52nd district — think swanky southern San Diego, which contains three of the ten richest neighborhoods in the area — it must have seemed immeasurably easier.
The reason we figure that is that Hunter just got indicted for misusing campaign funds, of which there were a lot, but not like, going out to dinner on taxpayer money, or flying first class instead of coach. This guy ripped off his constituents to the tune of more than a quarter million dollars. That’s no small feat. You actually have to work hard to steal that much money.
Hunter’s not the only thoroughly corrupt Republican in California. Devin Nunes is the shady Trump sycophant who’s lied about every finding the House Intelligence Committee came up with during their Russia probe, which he prematurely wrapped up without input from literally anyone else on the committee, even his fellow Republicans. and Dana Rohrabacher has been in the pocket of Vladimir Putin for multiple terms in Congress, lobbying literally endlessly for the repeal of sanctions against the hostile foreign power.
But the details of Duncan Hunter’s breathlessly brazen bilking of the people of California’s 52nd District will absolutely floor you. Some samples:
It’s that last one that’s particularly galling to me — buying vacation clothes under the pretense that he was making purchases for disabled and wounded veterans is just about the grossest thing I can think of for a former Marine who is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
But let’s not pretend any single theft is worse than any other, because Duncan Hunter is a straight-up villain. The money he stole went to pay for hotel rooms where he cheated on the mother of his three children — not that it sounds like she’s much better, she being the “Margaret” named above, offering suggestions of what kind of lies to tell. It went to video games, golf, Disney memorabilia, liquor, vacations, and even five grand on fast food. In fact, CNN has an even more in-depth look at his exploits, if you haven’t eaten recently.
Duncan Hunter should consider himself very fortunate that his indictment was announced on the same day as the guilty verdicts for Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, or this might be the top story in the news for a week straight.
Of course, you could share this article and make sure that any friends you may have in the San Diego area see it as well.
Featured image via screen capture
