American Politicians under fire

The lawmakers from Trump Regime - Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter are facing the heat at the moment

August 28, 2018

The indictment of politicians will give the right signals, that nobody is above law and this will restore faith in the judicial system

In the first week of August 2018, Federal authorities had indicted Chris Collins a New York Republican Rep. on insider trading charges and now, another lawmaker from Trump’s regime – Duncan Hunter a California Republican Rep. is indicted by federal authorities for misuse of the campaign funds on 21st August 2018.

It is not the first time that Hunter is facing the legal investigation due to the mismanagement of the campaign funds, on 31^st Aug 2016, Hunter faced a similar investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics

Duncan Hunter is a member of the Republican Party from California, who has represented the 52^nddistrict from 2009 to 2013 and subsequently representing California’s 50^th congressional district. Prior to this he has served the US Marine as an artillery officer in his three tours of Afghanistan and Iraq, and also fought some of the bloodiest battles in Fallujah.

The US Department of Justice initiated the investigation in March 2017 in the matter of financial violations of campaign funds and is alleged to have used $250,000 for personal expenses. In their 47 pages of the indictment, he is charged with Campaign Finance Violation, Wire Fraud and Falsifying documents.

The Hunters’ are charged for using the campaign fund of $250,000 for personal expenses. These include expenses for a vacation to Italy, private school tuition, nail salons and dental work. The indictment highlights that there has been repeated misuse of campaign funds on luxurious lifestyle / personal use.

It is also reported that Hunters’ spent considerably more than they earned, “citing more than 1,000 bank overdraft fees in a seven-year time span and the family repeatedly maxing out credit cards”. At the centre of the indictment is Hunter’s wife, whom the lawmaker installed as his paid campaign manager because the family “needed the extra money,” the indictment states [1].

It is not the first time that Hunter is facing the legal investigation due to the mismanagement of the campaign funds, on 31^st Aug 2016, Hunter faced a similar investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics, they had claimed that “reported expenditures that may not be legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes.” [2]

Despite both these politicians are part of the ruling party, they have not been spared by the agencies and are charged by the court. Investigating agencies have been able to achieve this rather quickly.

However, in 2016, Hunter escaped by saying, some of the expenses are the mistake and he was not aware of them. It is also reported that he sold his home and moved his wife and kids to pay back some of the improper campaign funds used [3].

Hunter has also been charged with serious legal and ethics scandals where he has been accused of having inappropriate extramarital relationships, drinking on the job and other unprofessional conduct. His office has denied these allegations though.

After being charged by the court, just a month before the elections, he has refused to drop out and resign from the post.

Hunter in his statement said that the indictment is politically motivated “I am not going anywhere”. “We are seeing this with President Trump; we are seeing this with my case.”

The lawmakers from Trump Regime – Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter are facing the heat at the moment. The federal authorities have investigated the respective cases for over a year before drawing any conclusion and the indictment is very strong leaving very little scope for escape.

Despite both these politicians are part of the ruling party, they have not been spared by the agencies and are charged by the court. Investigating agencies have been able to achieve this rather quickly.

The laws are transparent and equal to all and the decisions too are not biased. A similar system is required across India as well, where the corrupt politicians are indicted quickly and without being partial.

The indictment of politicians (especially from the ruling party) will give the right signals, that nobody is above law and this will restore faith in the judicial system.

References:

[1] Duncan Hunter Campaign Funds Fraud – Vox.com

[2] Duncan Hunter Campaign Funds Fraud indictment – Vox.com

[3] Duncan Hunter Campaign Funds FBI – Politico.com