3 strange things GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter paid for with campaign funds
The House Ethics Committee released its report of its investigation into alleged misuse of campaign funds from Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who pleaded guilty last week and announced he will resign from Congress "after the holidays." Some of the expenses aren't exactly shocking — for example, a $9,200 trip to Italy sounds like your standard ethics violation. But he also used the funds for some stranger, smaller-scale purchases. Here are three that stood out:
1. A galaxy far, far away — Hunter's campaign committee reported two disbursements from 2015 totaling $229.44 for what was described as food and drink at Star Trader, which is a store at Disneyland selling Star Wars-themed merchandise. The committee noted that it was unlikely that all that money was spent on sustenance (though maybe he really enjoys blue milk), and any other purchases likely weren't a good use of campaign cash.
2. Pay-per-view — Hunter apparently didn't want to miss out on any entertainment. The report found that the congressman used more than $3,100 to pay for cable, internet, NFL Red Zone, and pay-per-view UFC fights and movies. It's not clear if any of the Star Wars films were included.
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3. Flying rabbits — Last, but not least, Hunter was found to have spent $625 to fly his pet rabbit, Cadbury, around. Apparently, Hunter didn't enjoy his time away from Cadbury — the rabbit was kept in Hunter's congressional office and would accompany him and his children on their travels. Tim O'Donnell
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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
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