All language subtitles for American Greed s14e08 The Con in.Congress

In this episode of American Greed, a
brash young congressman and his wife

conspiring to secretly steal campaign
cash.

This is political, period.

California's Duncan Hunter is a
privileged political scion. Margaret

supportive spouse and close advisor.

Behind the picture -perfect facade,
they're dead broke.

They had over $35 ,000 in insufficient
fund fees.

They were habitually late on their
mortgage payment.

And so these partners in life become
partners in crime with unwitting donors

funding their whims.

$11 ,500 at Costco on groceries.

She was paying the dental bills and
private school tuition.

Lavish vacations that cost thousands and
thousands of dollars.

Together, the hunters are accused of
siphoning off hundreds of thousands, as

seen in financial records and private
messages reviewed by American Greed.

But in the end, there's no honor among
these alleged thieves.

Duncan's not just cheating his donors,
but two -timing his wife as well.

Mistress number one.

Mistress number two.

He just hurled her under the bus.

And Margaret offers the feds her help.

in bringing her husband down.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

In

September

2018, a throng of reporters surrounds
California congressional representative

for the 50th district.

Duncan Dwayne Hunter.

As a politician, he's used to a gaggle
of press and occasionally critical

constituents. But these lock him up
chants are new.

That's because Congressman Hunter and
his wife Margaret find themselves smack

the middle of a legal firestorm.

They're accused of stealing $250 ,000 in
campaign funds.

and they're facing jaw -dropping 60
-count indictments.

This isn't the spotlight Duncan Hunter
bargained for, and it's far from the

storybook ending that could have been.

In this stretch of Southern California,
reaching from the San Diego coastline

deep into the suburbs, the name Hunter
has long had huge political cachet.

Political reporter Charles Clark knows
the family history well.

The Duncan Hunter name and just the
Hunter name has a really powerful impact

that area because Duncan's dad was very,
very popular.

Duncan's dad is Duncan Lee Hunter, a
decorated Vietnam vet and a staunch

Reagan -era Republican.

Adam Angiewski is executive director of
OpenTheBooks .com, a database that aims

to track every dime spent by congressmen
and other public officials.

So when Duncan Hunter was four years
old, his father won a seat in Congress,

the year was 1981.

And he rose through the ranks to become
a powerful member of Congress.

Duncan Lee Hunter was the congressman
for most of the same geographic area for

28 years.

He became chair of the Armed Services
Committee. But when you add that to you

representing San Diego County, which has
like the highest concentration of

military personnel, he's just a massive,
massive figure.

Growing up as the oldest son of an
influential congressman, Duncan's

pictures include President Reagan. And
he shuttles between bi -coastal stays in

Washington, D .C. and California.

His dad's position helps in the romance
department, too.

As a teenager, Duncan finds young love
with a former refugee from Poland named

Margaret Jankowski.

She was volunteering for his dad, and
that's how they met.

They started dating and they got
married.

Morgan Cook is an investigative reporter
for the San Diego Union -Tribune.

According to the court filing, she never
wanted him to have a life in politics.

And they had discussed it, and he said
that he wasn't going to have a life in

politics.

The newlyweds move in with his parents,
while Duncan finishes a degree in

business administration at San Diego
State.

Life is looking up for the young couple.

And then, on September 11, 2001,
everything changed.

A plane has just crashed into the World
Trade Center here in New York City. It

happened just a few moments ago.

After the attacks, and without telling
Margaret beforehand,

Duncan Hunter enlists in the United
States Marine Corps.

I think especially for people out here
where that military service is really

part of the fabric of the community,
that really meant a lot to people.

He didn't have to do it, right? He chose
to.

According to court papers, Duncan's
unilateral decision understandably

tremendous stress for his worried wife.

After serving repeated tours of combat
duty in Iraq, Hunter returns home in

as a Marine reservist and then moves the
family to Boise, Idaho for a civilian

life in real estate.

Margaret calls it the happiest, most
stable time in her life.

But thanks to a strategically timed
retirement, it won't last long.

In early 2007, Duncan Lee Hunter makes a
decision.

As I finish my final two years as
chairman of the Armed Services Committee

serve you, I'm also going to be
preparing to run for president of the

States in 2008.

At his father's urging, Duncan decides
to move the family back to California.

and run as the heir apparent for his
father's congressional seat.

Again, say her attorneys, without
consulting Margaret.

She was not thrilled about that, but
wanted to support him anyway.

But as soon as he announced, he was
recalled into the Marine Corps and went

Afghanistan to serve in our efforts over
there.

He, by rules, couldn't actually actively
campaign because he was a military

service member.

So his wife did all the campaigning.

Margaret is so invested in helping the
campaign that photos of her stumping for

her husband are posted on his former
website.

And on election night 2008, the Hunters
celebrate another congressman in the

family.

Margaret didn't love the limelight. She
wanted to just go back to her life that

she'd had before.

But those days are over.

Duncan Dwayne Hunter has arrived.

He won his first election by double
digits.

Yeah, his dad's name ID helped, right?

But still, that's pretty impressive.

He comes back, he takes office in
January of 2009, and from that point on,

kind of never looked back.

Duncan's going to have that same thing
happen where he takes on a subcommittee

of his choosing? We'll see, yeah.

We'll make sure.

There's a long tradition in your family,
you know.

Overnight, the 32 -year -old Marine
finds himself with a hefty $174 ,000

congressional salary and handsome
benefits.

But as Emily Allen, a federal prosecutor
on the Hunter's case, will later

discover... That salary proves no match
for the couple's serious money

management issues.

I don't want to impugn him or his family
for not being wealthy, but what we're

talking about is something very
different. It's just a total lack of

budgeting ability for his family and
completely spending well beyond his

And with mortgage payments to make on a
newly purchased $595 ,000 home outside

of San Diego, the hunters are entering
their glamorous new life perpetually

strapped for cash.

As a former federal prosecutor on the
Hunter case, Phil Halpern explains that

it's a predicament most of Duncan's new
colleagues don't have to worry about.

When he first went to Washington in
January 2009, Hunter realized a lot of

congressmen had a lot more money. In
fact, they all had more money than he

So right off the bat, young Duncan
starts looking for other sources of

And during that time, it appears he
raided the petty cash that his campaign

treasurer had on hand.

Over the years, Margaret and Duncan dip
into petty cash as a quick fix for

personal items when funds are tight.

But why just pilfer from petty cash when
a credit card can unlock instant access

to a fat campaign war chest?

In late 2009, at Duncan's request,
staffers order campaign credit cards,

including one for him and another just
for Margaret.

And almost instantly from getting that
campaign credit card, it was a license

steal.

Up next on American Greed, Duncan and
Margaret Hunter redefine shop till you

drop. You have to get Margaret's
spending under control. This is a big

And later, Hunter is billing sordid
secrets to his campaign.

When he'd only had the credit card a
number of weeks.

He used it to fund a vacation with his
mistress.

In 2010, when freshman Congressman
Duncan Hunter isn't

legislating in Washington, D .C., he and
his wife Margaret make the rounds at

charity events and campaign fundraisers
back home in his California district.

It's part of the gig.

And as a federal prosecutor on the
Hunter case, Mark Conover explains that

campaigning costs money.

Our system requires people to go out and
to campaign. They all want to be

elected. And that's part and parcel to
what we do in this country. And it's

perfectly appropriate.

But there are rules.

There should be an iron wall between
campaign expenditures.

And personal use of the money. You
cannot just use campaign money for your

personal expenses.

Otherwise, people could simply be buying
favor with that particular politician.

However, it seems the good congressman
and his wife won't be following the rule

book.

As soon as they had that campaign credit
card in their hands, it was an

uncontrolled spending spree.

The hunters will tap Duncan's campaign
account as a go -to source of personal

funds, and Margaret hits the ground
running.

I think the day after she got the first
credit card that was issued to her, she

was taking the kids out for kids' meals
and lunch with the campaign credit card.

She isn't efficiently on Duncan's office
staff roster, and her early campaign

expenses aren't extravagant.

but quickly raise alarm bells.

$239 at Michael's Pratt's.

$700 in theater tickets, manicures,
movie nights. Oh, and lunches.

Lots of lunches.

For Margaret, spending isn't just about
indulging in the little extras.

It's about day -to -day living, too.

$11 ,500 at Costco on groceries, $5 ,700
between Walmart and

Target. She was paying dental bills and
private school tuition, none

of which were particularly outlandish,
but added up to hundreds of thousands of

dollars keeping their family living in a
way that they couldn't afford.

Mrs. Hunter contends her purchases are
above board.

But when stressed -out staffers plead
for information and receipts, she slow

-walks vague explanations.

And when they question the validity of
Margaret's sketchy charges, she

You are making me feel like I am being
deemed a liar.

That's because she's lying.

FBI agent Erin Phan specializes in
public corruption and investigates the

Hunter case.

If she took her kids out to eat at the
Olive Garden, she told the campaign

treasurer that that was a meal with
supporters.

If she purchased things at retail
stores, she told the treasurer that

basket gift items for auctions.

Duncan's staff summons the congressman.

You have to get Margaret's spending
under control. This is a big problem.

Duncan put her in a position to be able
to spend money intentionally and knowing

full well what she was doing.

Hunter knows what Margaret's doing, but
he often has no idea exactly what she's

buying.

Meanwhile, Duncan Hunter is doing plenty
of off -limits spending of his own,

just a little less obviously than his
wife.

And he fell into a system that virtually
allowed him to spend any money he

wanted as long as it was in Washington,
D .C.

and claim that it was for a legitimate
campaign expense.

It certainly seemed like they were using
the campaign credit card with the

understanding that they could hide
expenditures from each other.

And the hunters have a great excuse to
use those credit cards constantly.

Locked into a two -year congressional
election cycle, They're expected to be

spending money because, as Hunter's
former website illustrates here, they're

campaigning nonstop and soliciting a
constant stream of donor funds.

According to FEC filings, a deep bench
of individual and corporate contributors

fueled Duncan Hunter's campaign.

All of it should be earmarked to pay for
Hunter's campaign costs or re -election

bills. Instead, prosecutors say the
hunters appear to be counting on those

dollars for income.

And that's a problem.

According to prosecutor Emily Allen,
Hunter could find himself in a

or even dangerously susceptible
position.

He was putting the trust that people put
into him and his reelection campaigns

at risk because now he has another
master to serve, and that's his campaign

donors.

and not just the best interests of the
people of his district.

Hunter's workers warned that Margaret's
spending could trigger another looming

concern. The Federal Election Commission
oversees elected officials' spending

and requires quarterly reports.

If reviewers spot glaring
irregularities, they could order an

And that means lots of negative press.

They did everything that they could to
try and stop it.

It's an uncomfortable situation because
Duncan Hunter was their boss.

All they can do is bring these things to
his attention, but they can't make the

final call.

In court transcripts, a former staffer
testifies that in private talks about

Margaret, Duncan says he would be trying
to rein her in to make sure she didn't

spend so much money.

To staff's dismay, instead of
permanently confiscating her credit

September 2011, the congressman
officially puts Margaret on the payroll

,000 a month as his campaign manager.

Now, with a tidy regular salary to boost
the family income and, of course, the

campaign card, Margaret ramps up her
spending even more.

The hunters occasionally reimburse the
campaign for some purchases, and that

seems just enough to stay off the FEC's
radar.

And Congressman Duncan Hunter seems
unbeatable, easily winning a second term

a third.

And in 2014, a fourth.

He won in 2014 by, I believe it was 42
points, which is just

obscene.

The Hunters appear to be an upstanding,
ideal couple devoted to public service.

But according to prosecutors, in
reality,

They're running a remarkably simple
scam.

Duncan and Margaret Hunter embezzled
hundreds of thousands of dollars by

stealing the money from their campaign.

Up next on American Greed, Duncan and
Margaret Hunter live a jet -set life on

donor dollars.

It looked after a while like they had
stopped trying to make it look

legitimate.

Campaign donors are unwittingly putting
day -to -day bills and a fun -filled

lifestyle for California Congressman
Duncan Hunter and his wife Margaret. And

looks like they're having a ball.

San Diego couples' weekends might
include a day at the pricey Hotel Del

Coronado, Del Mar Country Club, or
betting on the ponies, as Margaret posts

social media for all to see.

including prosecutors, who later use the
evidence against them.

Duncan hits the links for round after
round of golf and uses his outings to

up personal goodies, then pass them off
as donations to fellow veterans.

For an upcoming trip, Duncan texts, I'm
going to buy my Hawaii shorts. I need my

money, babe.

Margaret instructs him to do a small pro
shop purchase with your work card, and

get some balls for the wounded warriors
to conceal his real purchase.

Political reporter Tina Wynn says the
grift will reportedly earn him a

nickname in military slang, a blue
falcon.

They try to use their affiliation with
veterans for their own personal gain,

then try to put it off as, oh, I'm doing
this for the veterans.

And Duncan Hunter was very much into
doing that.

And since no one seems to be stopping
them, the hunters splurge on big -ticket

items, too.

It looked after a while like they had
stopped trying to make it look

legitimate.

Nobody noticed for a long time, so I
guess it just kept going on.

They jet to Hawaii and Las Vegas, taking
selfies and plastering them online.

Pictures that investigators will curate
and select as evidence.

When the hunters charge the campaign for
$600 in meals and minibar charges at

Caesar's Palace, why, there's no need to
feel guilty, Margaret muses in a text.

Anyway, lots of money. Oh, well.

They even shout out hundreds for in
-cabin seats to fly the family bunny,

Egbert, along on vacations.

It calls into question, is this man
acting in the public interest? Is this

using campaign funds for the benefit of
his constituents?

Over the years, when staffers politely
ask the congressman to clarify his

charges, Hunter is unyielding. Of course
they are all campaign, he writes in one

email. Why else would I charge them to
the campaign card?

Why else?

Because beyond the toxic inability to
manage their money, when it comes to

personal accounts, Duncan and Margaret
Hunter are broke.

Their credit cards were maxed. They had
incurred over $35 ,000 in insufficient

fund fees over a seven -year period.

They were habitually late on their
mortgage payments.

The financial strain that the Hunters
were under was a huge source of stress

a huge motivating factor.

For committing the crime was probably to
alleviate some of that stress because

that takes a toll on your relationship.
That takes a toll on your marriage.

There are many people in this country
who have to worry about paying their

People have to worry about going to the
grocery store and buying food.

It's not that that's uncommon.

What's uncommon is that he's a duly
elected congressman who was

living paycheck to paycheck.

Of course, living costs can be a
challenge, especially in expensive

But the hunters are drawing a six
-figure salary, and prosecutors say

stealing from their campaign.

Plus, they have yet another source of
income, frequent cash infusions from his

parents, who over time chip in close to
$150 ,000.

We see at least 200 examples of his
parents giving money to the family.

But it doesn't seem like that really put
a drop in the bucket.

We're talking about an individual who
had over 1 ,000 overdraft charges on his

bank account alone.

Between 2009 and 2017, there wasn't a
single month where

the Hunter family had a positive bank
balance at the end of the day.

The hunters are so desperate that their
shady financial practices become a shell

game, literally.

When Duncan asks, how do I pay for gas?

Margaret instructs him to fill it up at
a shell gas station because shell takes

three days to clear, just in time for
Duncan's payday.

We saw examples over and over of the two
of them talking about small amounts of

money, like $20 at a time.

In some ways, it's really sad, but in
other ways, it's just alarming.

The congressman's staff point out red
flags on his expenditures, but Duncan

responds that his card purchases are
justified.

Though Hunter's email responses are
defensive at times, I'm feeling like we

trying to create some kind of paper
trail on me.

And fragments from Margaret's texts over
the years hint at tensions brewing

behind closed doors.

Whatever, Duncan.

You don't want me? That's fine.

But in the public spotlight, Duncan
Hunter cultivates a family man image.

Congressman Hunter had a home here in
San Diego and a family here, and then he

had his life in D .C. And one of the
difficulties of being a congressman is

spend much of your time away.

Coming up on American Greed, spending
time away doesn't seem so difficult for

Duncan Hunter.

His reputation at the time was he liked
to party. He hung out with a lot of

women. And the congressman's after -hour
activities are on the naughty side.

Extramarital affairs, alcohol, nights
out, whatever he wanted, he would just

with campaign funds.

He didn't seem to think twice about it.

In the hallowed halls of Congress,
Congressman Duncan Hunter arrives as a

politically incorrect wrecking ball who
brings his own brand of bombast to the

House floor.

The first time I became aware of who
Duncan Hunter was, was I knew him as the

vaping congressman. You don't see this
every day, a congressman getting a

nicotine fix right in the middle of a
hearing.

Hunter defends servicemen charged with
war crimes.

Including controversial Navy SEAL Eddie
Gallagher and sparks a firestorm when he

offers up his own combat confessions.

Eddie did one bad thing that I'm guilty
of too.

Taking a picture with a body and saying
something stupid.

Critics blast his unfiltered stunts and
comments.

Duncan was Trump before Trump.

When Donald Trump surfaces as a
presidential candidate, Hunter is an

endorser. then a devoted cheerleader.

The ex -combat Marine is also a fierce
military and veterans advocate.

The trust between the VA and the men
that I served with and for, it's broken.

It's broken and it needs to be fixed.

Well, when the sun goes down, whether
he's on vacation or in D .C., the

congressional scion whips out his
campaign credit card and parties hard.

He shares photos on social media.

But that will come back to bite him.

Prosecutors and the FBI will use this
picture and others to support their

allegations. In Washington, he became
part of a group of GOP freshman

congressmen who were known as the quote
-unquote bro caucus.

They were famous for going out and
spending hundreds of dollars every night

all these nightclubs and bars.

There was this one time that he spent
$450 -something on 30 shots of tequila

and one steak.

And heavy partying is far from Hunter's
only vice.

When he'd only had the credit card a
number of weeks, he used it to fund a

vacation with his mistress.

Prosecutors allege that during his years
in office, Hunter's illegal spending on

X -rated Washington entanglements
includes more than one lady friend.

There were five of them, and three of
the women were lobbyists, and two were

staffers. That raises some red flags,
not just about his character, but

about undoing.

Hunter's defense will later deny illegal
spending and claim that he's simply

mixing business with pleasure.

The campaign paid for a night at the
liaison Capitol Hill hotel

for him to stay with one of these women.

Hunter assures his treasurer that the
liaison stay is for lodging and meals

supporters. Well, at least one very
enthusiastic supporter.

Duncan Hunter ended up, by the end of
his term, drinking and partying all

long, getting up first thing in the
morning, having a beer, and going to a

national security briefing.

CQ Roll Call reporter Chris Marquette
covers ethics and accountability in

Washington, D .C.

Your donors are entrusting you with
their money to use for your campaign.

And when you use it, getting 30 shots of
tequila, that's just not what a donor

thinks their money is going to go to
when they donate to your campaign.

Hunter's donors.

constituents and wife have no idea of
his spicy extracurricular activities.

The relationship was very dysfunctional.

Margaret didn't know when Duncan was
spending money on the mistress because

didn't want Margaret to know about the
mistress.

But in 2015, the family reconnects and
crosses the pond for a $14 ,000 once

-in -a -lifetime trip through Italy.

Though... There's no ticket for Egbert.
He knew there was no way to pay for this

except using the campaign credit card.

So prosecutors say that Hunter hatches a
last -minute scheme to tour an American

naval base and then disguise the whole
vacation as legislative activity, but

posts pictures that prosecutors will
later label as evidence.

In time, Hunter's defense will dispute
that his trip is a ruse.

The naval base could only do it on a
certain day. But that interfered with

hunters' travel plans at that time.

So the former Marine responds with
cheeky swagger.

Tell the Navy to go themselves.

But in the spring of 2016, there's a
problem.

Federal Election Commission regulators
are questioning charges on the Hunter

campaign's latest quarterly reports.

And they're not the only ones.

Representative Duncan Hunter put on that
report almost 70 charges for video

games and more than $1 ,000 to the
private school that his children

What really was afoot here?

Up next on American Greed, reporter
Morgan Cook is about to unearth a

scandal hiding in plain sight.

You can see the spending.

escalating. And it was sitting there in
the public record that nobody had

looked.

In April 2016, reporter Morgan Cook is
slogging through Congressman Duncan

Hunter's latest Federal Election
Commission report.

The FEC is questioning thousands of
dollars in video game and private school

charges. Cook writes a short article and
says Hunter's spokesman offers her a

sheepish explanation for the mix -up.

He had told his teenage son that he
could take a credit card out of his

you know, his personal credit card, to
stream video games online.

And his son just took the wrong card.

The payment to the children's private
school was supposed to be a charitable

donation, but had been mistakenly
applied to tuition.

Publicly, Duncan Hunter activates damage
control.

But privately, he sounds more desperate
than diplomatic.

He actually texted his chief of staff,
and one of the quotes from his text

messages was, my family fucked me.

Cook decides to check out Hunter's
earlier FEC reports, but she faces

frustrating roadblocks.

An FEC loophole has allowed the hunters
to hide their nickel and dime spending

in plain sight.

The FEC rules are that only charges in
the aggregate that exceed $200 to

an individual vendor have to be
reported.

So all of the little charges to vendors
that didn't add up to $200 in an

election cycle just weren't showing up
on these reports.

And so when there's trouble in that
little keyhole picture that you can see,

have to imagine that there is a whole
world of trouble that you can't find out

about.

But FBI agents and federal prosecutors
can find out.

And they've been reading Cook's
articles.

By the summer of 2016, attorneys and
agents have DOJ permission to begin

excavating years' worth of the hunters'
financial records and more.

We were able to go to Target and go to
Walmart and get the receipts and see

is a set of children's pajamas or dog
food or family groceries, not the

things that you would buy if you're
hosting a political event at your house.

Five days before the November 2016
election, Hunter proclaims that he's

a personal financial review.

He has paid the FEC $48 ,000 to correct
his errors, and he'll pay even

more as necessary.

And he said at the end of the audit that
he'd pay back about $60 ,000.

But this resulted in them having to sell
their house and go live with Duncan

Hunter's parents.

Hunter wins re -election. But his legal
problems are about to get exponentially

worse than his living situation.

In early 2017, the FBI has enough
evidence to execute search warrants on

Hunter's home and congressional offices.

That spring, Margaret asks to enter a
plea agreement admitting to improperly

converting campaign funds.

But with an ongoing investigation
underway, Prosecutors aren't prepared to

her up on her offer.

Instead, they spend the next 18 months
scrutinizing over 11 ,000 financial

transactions. We had over 13 terabytes
of digital evidence that we were going

through.

On August 21, 2018, prosecutors level a
blistering 60 -count indictment against

Duncan and Margaret Hunter for wire
fraud, falsifying records, and campaign

finance violations.

Court papers from Margaret's defense
team state that she always wished to

responsibility. Well, her husband seems
more than willing to let Margaret take

the rap.

And on national television, Hunter
implies that his wife is the mastermind.

She handled my finances throughout my
entire military career. And that

on when I got into Congress because I'm
gone five days a week. I'm home for two.

So and she was also the campaign
manager.

So whatever she did on that, that'll be
that'll be looked at, too, I'm sure.

But but I didn't do it.

And that did not go well.

It was Margaret's fault.

Right.

And that, I think, pissed people off.

He just hurled her under the bus.

And that really did seem to be the
consensus.

Almost immediately, social media pounces
on Hunter's blame game.

And he becomes a national punchline.

I blame Duncan Hunter's wife for my
headache.

I blame her for my bad cup of coffee
this morning.

I blame Duncan Hunter's wife for
marrying Duncan Hunter.

Both hunters plead not guilty. And
Margaret doesn't say a word about the

blitz.

She didn't respond at all. She was just
dead silent all of this time while he

was throwing her under the bus in the
national media.

Up next on American Greed, Duncan Hunter
lashes out.

Let's go to court. Let's have a trial.
And everybody will see everything.

But I want the trial now. And it won't
be long before Margaret Hunter makes her

voice heard.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

In the late summer of 2018, Duncan
Hunter's attempts to blame his wife have

landed with a thud.

And now he's deflecting. There's nothing
illegal about being poor.

I don't think there's anything illegal
about not having money in your bank

account. And though Hunter has been
indicted under the auspices of Attorney

General and Trump appointee Jeff
Sessions, he's the victim and blaming

state.

The DOJ is politically motivated. They
don't like me. That should be apparent

all of you.

They don't like me here in San Diego, at
least the local paper, but my

constituents... The initial response by
Congressman Hunter was to claim this was

a witch hunt, to claim that he was being
targeted, and that this was somehow not

a legitimate investigation.

Even facing a 60 -count indictment,
Duncan manages to narrowly win re

in 2018.

But Congressman Hunter's house of cards
is about to collapse.

By the late spring of 2019, Margaret's
defense team is already negotiating

of her plea agreement.

Margaret Hunter wasn't a saint. She
committed campaign theft, arm in arm

her husband.

But yet, he's throwing her under the
bus.

Well, hell hath no fury like a woman
scorned.

Margaret Hunter pleads guilty to one
count of conspiracy to defraud the

States.

And it seems Margaret's had enough of
staying quiet.

Prosecutors say she's ready to spill
everything she knows.

But on December 2nd, 2019, just weeks
before Hunter's trial is set to begin,

he makes a stunning reversal.

Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter is
now set to change his plea to guilty

after his wife agreed to testify against
him.

The next day, Duncan Hunter pleads
guilty to a single count of conspiracy

steal campaign funds.

There were 59 other counts for specific
transactions. The conspiracy count,

which was the lead charge, covered
everything.

I failed to monitor and account for my
campaign spending. I made mistakes, and

that's what today was all about.

Even as a convicted felon, Hunter
returns to Congress long enough to

another paycheck before resigning under
intense bipartisan pressure in January

of 2020 and leaving the 50th district
seat empty for almost a year.

It would be so simple to say in this
case that the victims were the campaign

supporters who gave him money expecting
it would be used only for the campaign.

That's only part of the story. The true
victims include every single person that

he represents in San Diego and Riverside
counties.

It's a different kind of greed that he
would put his personal interest

above the right of the public to trust
the people who make our laws.

What could be more greedy than that?

In March 2020, Judge Thomas Whalen
sentences Duncan Hunter to 11 months in

prison with a COVID delay until January
2021.

Margaret Hunter moves out of her in
-law's house and begins serving an eight

-month sentence of home confinement.

But her husband won't serve a day behind
bars.

Breaking news. Trump offering pardons
and commutations for 20 people. On

December 22nd, 2020, President Donald
Trump grants Hunter a full pardon.

The very next day.

Tonight's another night of pardons for
all y 'all.

He issues Margaret a matching pardon.
She is filed for divorce from Duncan.

Duncan Lee Hunter reacts to the news.

Thankful to God for this president who
had the guts to recognize injustice.

Duncan was grateful for that.

Duncan Hunter and his attorney have not
responded to American greed.

The pardon doesn't erase the disgraced
congressman's record of conviction, but

regardless, he can run for office again.

And he has another federal payday
coming.

Not one single convicted member of
Congress has ever been stripped of their

federal pension.

He can start taking that pension as
early as age 55, and if he lives to life

expectancy at age 81, he will collect
over $1 .2 million funded by the

taxpayer.

While Duncan Hunter walks away with a
get -out -of -jail -free card, he isn't

the first and likely won't be the last
politician to break the law.

Prosecutors are counting on it.

For all the other elected officials out
there, not only can you get caught, but

you will get caught and you will be
prosecuted and you will go to jail.

We will keep coming because the rule of
law requires that.

We have to hold people accountable.