Despite Trump Pardon, Ex-GOP Congressman Fined for Misuse of Campaign Money

Former Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump in 2020, has agreed to pay a fine lobbed by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over his and his now estranged wife's alleged misuse of campaign funds.

Hunter, who represented California in the House from 2009 to 2020, pleaded guilty in December 2019 to "knowingly and willfully" stealing some $250,000 in campaign funds. The former lawmaker and his wife utilized the money for personal expenses including video games, dental work, private school tuition for their kids and a family trip to Europe, among other things.

Trump then pardoned Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hunter, about a year later in December 2020. Although that presidential pardon covered the criminal case against the Hunters, investigators contended that they could still go after the former GOP congressman and his campaign committee for civil violations.

As a result, Hunter agreed to pay a fine to the FEC of $12,000 "solely for the purpose of settling this matter only and without admitting liability," according to a file made public this week. The former Republican lawmaker's campaign committee agreed to pay an additional $4,000 fine.

While the amount is relatively small, a lack of funds was cited as the reason the amount was not higher.

"In ordinary circumstances, the [FEC] would seek a substantially higher civil penalty of $133,000 based on the violations outlined in this agreement that remain within the statute of limitations," the FEC told Noah Bookbinder of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the organization that filed the original complaint against Hunter in 2016, Times of San Diego reported.

Without Trump's pardon, Hunter was set to serve 11 months in prison. "Congressman Hunter violated the trust of his supporters by using hundreds of thousands of dollars they donated in good faith to his reelection campaign for personal expenditures," David Leshner, a U.S. attorney with the Justice Department involved with the California representative's case said in a March 2020 statement.

"Rather than admit his guilt and resign his seat when the charges came to light, or even when he was originally charged, Hunter chose to mislead the more than 700,000 people who live in the 50th congressional district," U.S. Attorney Phil Halpern said ahead of Hunter's sentencing. "As we now know, Hunter lied to the people about his guilt. Not once, but countless times."

Duncan Lee Hunter, the father of the former congressman, told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday that "the FEC decision clearly reflects that the criminal prosecution of Duncan was a political hit job." However, the FEC, which is led by a panel of half Republicans and half Democrats, voted 6-0 in favor of the fines, Times of San Diego reported.

The former congressman and his wife previously contended that the improper use of campaign funds was "attributable to the nature of a tight-knit, family-run campaign," NBC News reported.