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Embattled California Rep. Duncan Hunter spent more in the most recent fundraising quarter on legal fees than he raised.
According to Hunter’s October quarterly fundraising records filed with the Federal Election Commission, Hunter spent roughly $134,000 on legal fees.
Hunter raised about $91,440 in the third quarter, according to his FEC filing.
Rob Pyers, research director for the nonpartisan California Target Book, tweeted that more than 87 percent of Hunter’s campaign contributions this year have gone to legal fees. Hunter has raised roughly $409,000 this year and spent more than $357,000 on legal fees.
Over 87% of the contributions he's taken in this year have gone to pay his legal fees.https://t.co/eS78ufETIx
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) October 16, 2017
Peyers also tweeted that Hunter had the worst fundraising quarter this year.
Amid mounting legal woes, #CA50's @Rep_Hunter has worst quarter of the yr, banking $91,446 & ending w/$504,456 COHhttps://t.co/WvwopJBBg8 https://t.co/tyeNTZ30Kc
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) October 14, 2017
Raised: Q1: 162,867 Q2: 155,625 Q3: 91,446 TOT: 409,938 Legal Fees: Q1: 69,393 Q2: 152,859 Q3: 134,794 TOT: 357,046 — Rob Pyers (@rpyers) October 14, 2017
Hunter is currently under a criminal investigation by the Justice Department for using campaign money for personal expenses.
He is accused of using campaign cash to pay for school uniforms, tuition for his children, jewelry, groceries, and perhaps most infamously flying his family’s pet rabbit across the country.
Hunter currently has two major Democratic challengers for re-election — retired Navy SEAL Josh Butner and Ammar Campa-Najjar, a former Department of Labor official in the Obama administration.
Both Campa-Najjar and Butner raised more than Hunter in the last fundraising quarter.
Campa-Najjar raised $170,000, and Butner, who received a cash infusion after an endorsement by Rep. Seth Moulton’s Serve America Victory Fund, raised more than $175,000.
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates California’s 50th District Likely Republican.
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