Feds Search Office Of Rep. Hunter's Campaign Treasurer For Possible Campaign Violations
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Federal investigators were authorized to search the office of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign treasurer in a probe of possible campaign spending violations.
A warrant issued in February by a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, allows investigators to search the offices of Election CFO, a campaign consultant to the California Republican.
It seeks records on all campaign spending, communications with Hunter, his wife, Margaret, and aides, as well as travel records for Hunter and his family.
The search warrant was to have been executed by March 8. It was unclear what evidence might have been recovered.
Seamus Hughes, deputy director of George Washington University's Program on Extremism, provided the search warrant to The Associated Press. The document was not available through the electronic docket for federal courts.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported its contents Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the firm that managed campaign finances for Hunter confirmed the FBI conducted a search.
An attorney for Election CEO said the offices in Alexandria, Virginia were cooperating "fully" with the investigation.
The FBI also didn't respond to a request for comment.
Hunter won a fifth term last year representing a heavily Republican San Diego-area district. His father represented the area for many years in Congress.
The search warrant seeks documents dating back to 2010, including evidence of any falsified campaign finance reports and "a scheme to defraud First National Bank by making false statements related to video game charges.
The San Diego Union-Tribune said some $1,300 in video game charges were among the unusual expenses questioned by the Federal Election Commission.
The House Ethics panel has investigated allegations that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses, such as trips to Hawaii and Italy and tuition for Hunter's school-age children.
The panel said in March that it was delaying the inquiry at the request of the Justice Department.
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