California congressman announces campaign reimbursement for personal expenses

A Republican congressman representing inland San Diego announced on Thursday that he took out a home loan to repay his campaign nearly $49,000 for personal expenses.

Rep. Duncan Hunter made the announcement to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, saying he took full responsibility for the errors.

Duncan’s personal expenses include online video games, a stay at Hawaii resort and his children's private school tuition.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports Hunter secured an additional loan on their home in Alpine on Wednesday to repay expenses that he said were erroneously charged to his campaign.

Hunter’s campaign spending was called into question during the spring with a Federal Election Commission inquiry which led him to repay his campaign $12,000. The latest reimbursement follows an independent audit launched by Hunter to identify any other improper spending.

"While the charges were primarily authorized by the campaign, the buck stops with me and I take full responsibility — including the responsibility to determine and implement other structural changes to ensure errors are not repeated," Hunter said.

Hunter’s opponent in Tuesday’s election, Democrat Patrick Malloy has called Hunter’s announcement an empty gesture. "Four days before the election, Hunter is trying to buy your sympathy with $49,000 in appeasement," Malloy said on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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