GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter's wife acknowledges they conspired to misuse campaign funds in guilty plea

The wife of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) has just pleaded guilty to conspiring to misuse campaign funds.

Margaret Hunter in court on Thursday pleaded guilty to one count and withdrew her previous not guilty plea, The Associated Press reports. The California congressman and his wife were indicted in August for allegedly putting $250,000 worth of campaign funds to personal use from 2010 through 2016.

“I am deeply remorseful and I apologize,” she said in court on Thursday while accepting full responsibility. She faces up to five years in prison.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The California congressman has pleaded not guilty in his own case and previously said that his wife was responsible for the violations because she is in charge of the finances, CNN reports. "I didn't spend any money illegally," he said in August. The Associated Press reports Margaret Hunter has agreed to testify against her husband.

On Thursday, the congressman responded to his wife's guilty plea by saying, "It's sad that they were able to bludgeon her into submission," per NBC News' Alex Moe. He went on to say that "we've got some Hillary lawyers there in San Diego" and that "I look forward to going to trial." That trial will take place in September.