Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., notified House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday that he has agreed to step down from his committee assignments until his federal criminal case is resolved.
The House had been preparing to force Hunter off the Armed Services, Education and the Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees early next month as he remained defiant against charges he misspent campaign funds.
House Speaker Paul Ryan called the charges against Hunter “deeply serious” on Tuesday and said he would be stripped of the committee assignments.
“In light of recent events, I am requesting to be temporarily removed from my positions” on those committees, Hunter wrote in a letter to Ryan. “I fully intend to resume my position as an active member of these committees upon a successful resolution of pending legal matters.”
Hunter and his wife Margaret Hunter pleaded not guilty Thursday to spending $250,000 in campaign funds on golf outings, restaurants, groceries and other personal items, as well as filing false reports with the Federal Election Commission.
“The charges against me are politically motivated and without merit. I intend to fight them fully,” Hunter wrote to Ryan. “In the meantime, I look forward to quickly clearing my good name, and I will continue to represent the people of California’s 50th District.”
The 47-page indictment unveiled Tuesday details numerous instances of allegedly illegal spending by Hunter and his wife over a seven-year period and their efforts to mislead campaign officials.
