The Swamp is coming from inside the House. Trump supporter Chris Collins was indicted for insider trading. Now fellow Congressman and fellow Trump supporter Duncan Hunter has been indicted for campaign finance violations. There might be something about being an early and vocal supporter of Donald Trump that makes you criminal.
What’s interesting to me is how quickly these conservatives — conservatives that have long campaigned on “family values” and “personal responsibility” — are willing to throw their own family members under the bus. Collins has suggested that he did nothing wrong and it’s his son who made the illegal trades. Duncan Hunter took the familicide to a whole other level on Fox. From CNN (so I don’t have to link to Fox News):
Rep. Duncan D. Hunter seemed to shift any blame onto his wife, Margaret, on Thursday for alleged campaign fund abuses, saying she was the one handling his finances.
“She was also the campaign manager, so whatever she did that’ll be looked at too, I’m sure,” the California Republican said on Fox News.
“But I didn’t do it,” Hunter said. “I didn’t spend any money illegally.”
Blaming your wife for you own questionable activity seems to be the new hotness for white men. Former Philadelphia 76ers GM Bryan Collangelo did it. Current Ohio State football coach (lol, Debevoise) Urban Meyer seems to have at least thought about doing it. Was there a memo that went around telling these guys this is okay?
If if you buy the “my wife did it” defense, the allegations in the 48-page indictment are too numerous to pass it all off on his spouse.
I’m not a traditionalist when it comes to “family values” by any means. But I didn’t know Republicans had so radically updated their wedding vows:
“I take you for my lawful wife/potential patsy, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and so long as my political career is in health, until death or indictments do us part.”
Indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter: My wife handled my finances [CNN]
Elie Mystal is the Executive Editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at elie@abovethelaw.com. He will resist.
‘Family Values’ Republican Blames His Wife For Criminal Indictments curated from Above the Law
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