Congressman will repay $49,000 after spending campaign money on garage door, Disneyland, 16 trips to Jack in the Box
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) agreed Thursday to reimburse his campaign account $49,000 after spending on everything from oral surgery to a garage door to fast food, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Hunter made national headlines last February when he became one of the first congressmen to endorse Donald Trump in the Republican primary; he made national headlines again in April when it turned out he had used campaign money to buy video games and other personal items after allegedly mixing up his two blue credit cards.
On Thursday, Hunter told the local newspaper that "while the charges were primarily authorized by the campaign, the buck stops with me and I take full responsibility — including the responsibility to determine and implement other structural changes to ensure errors are not repeated. In taking these steps, I am fully confident that the right oversight and controls are now in place."
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Hunter launched an independent audit to reveal the unauthorized spending that he agreed to reimburse. Among the expenditures were 16 trips to Jack in the Box totaling $297, 40 trips to grocery stores totaling $6,819, and a $229 expense at a Disneyland store for "food/beverages," although the store's only edible items are Pez and a Star Wars-themed Rice Krispy treat.
A payment of $216 to a Florence, Italy, jewelry store for "food/beverages" will also be repaid, as will $2,000 spent on restaurants, hotels, and train travel in Italy over Thanksgiving weekend in 2015.
"I decided, out of an abundance of caution, to treat any expense without adequate support as necessary for reimbursement," Hunter said.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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