What’s the best way to spend campaign funds? For congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-CA), one answer would be video games: he was caught back in 2016 using his campaign account to make Steam purchases, among other things. Hunter had given $1,302 to Valve, which was actually just a small portion of the $150,000 total that he “illegally converted” from campaign funds. The congressman had initially blamed his son for using his credit card, but he ultimately admitted guilt yesterday in federal court.
As detailed in the indictment, the Hunters stole money from the campaign for items as inconsequential as fast food, movie tickets and sneakers; as trivial as video games, Lego sets and Playdoh; as mundane as groceries, dog food, and utilities; and as self-indulgent as luxury hotels, overseas vacations and plane tickets for their family pet rabbits, Eggburt and Cadbury – all while their family was otherwise deeply in debt.