Former Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) told the San Diego Union Tribune that President Trump should consider clemency for convicted Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), who is scheduled to be sentenced to prison on March 17.

Said Issa: “It’s not my decision. It’s the president’s decision. But I would certainly say the commuting of sentencing… has a certain ability to balance the public good. Are we better off spending $60,000 a year to put him behind bars or are we better off with him doing community service and going on with his life with the likelihood of him committing a crime in the future being pretty low?”

Issa is currently running for Hunter’s seat.

“After years of denials and claims he was the target of a political witch hunt, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday morning to change his plea of not guilty to charges stemming from a sweeping campaign finance investigation,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

“The reversal comes nearly six months after Hunter’s wife and former campaign treasurer, Margaret Hunter, admitted to her role in a widespread scheme that saw the couple allegedly spend more than $200,000 in campaign donations on family expenses like vacations, gas, groceries, school lunches and oral surgery.”

“The congressman was seeking re-election but typically a guilty plea would include an agreement to step down.”

“A federal judge ruled Monday that prosecutors can introduce evidence of Rep. Duncan Hunter’s (R-CA) personal relationships, including alleged affairs, in his criminal trial,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

“Last week prosecutors filed a series of motions, including one that spelled out some of Duncan Hunter’s questionable expenditures that prosecutors said were linked to his extramarital affairs with five women, including three lobbyists and two congressional staffers.”

“Attorneys for Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), who has been indicted for campaign finance violations, asked the court to exclude allegations that he misused campaign funds during extramarital affairs, saying that his alleged relationships ‘often served an overtly political purpose,'” The Hill reports.

“Hunter’s attorneys said in court Friday that the government was attempting to ‘publicly embarrass Mr. Hunter with evidence that reflects poorly on his character,’ and that the value of the evidence is outweighed by the risk it would unfairly prejudice the jury against him, according to a document published in full by USA Today.”

“It’s sad that they were able to bludgeon her into submission. We’ve got some Hillary lawyers there in San Diego.”

— Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), quoted by NBC News, on his wife, Margaret, taking a plea deal on corruption charges and possibly testifying against him.

Margaret Hunter, the wife of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), formally admitted that she illegally used thousands of dollars in campaign donations for her personal expenses, the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

“Specifically, Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy. She faces up to five years in federal custody and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced Sept. 1.”

“The 22-page agreement makes clear that Margaret Hunter has been cooperating with prosecutors for months — and her eventual sentence will reflect that help.”

Duncan Hunter told the Associated Press that “political reasons” prompted the U.S. Justice Department to pressure his wife to testify against him.

Margaret Hunter, the wife of longtime Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) who was co-indicted with her husband last summer, “has agreed to change her plea of not guilty and is scheduled to appear in federal court Thursday morning,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

“Both Hunter and wife were indicted in August on 60 criminal counts related to what prosecutors allege was a yearslong misuse of campaign donations to the congressman’s re-election fund.”

The congressman’s attorney declined to discuss whether she might be cooperating with the prosecution.

Flashback: Hunter blames wife for illegal spending.

“The criminal indictment issued against Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife, Margaret, last month alleges years of cavalier spending — luxury resorts, fine dining, tequila shots and more — all paid for with political contributions,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

The 47-page document also says Hunter had “personal relationships” with five unnamed individuals.

Defense attorney Gregory Vega objected: “While there may be evidence of infidelity, irresponsibility or alcohol dependence, once properly understood, the underlying facts do not equate to criminal activity.”

After blaming his wife for illegal use of campaign funds last week, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) changed his tune in an interview with KGTV.

Said Hunter: “Leave my wife out of it, leave my family out of it. It’s me they’re after anyway. They’re not after my wife; they want to take me down, that’s what they’re up to. So let’s get this in the arena and have this settled.”

“Rep. Duncan Hunter’s (R-CA) legal defense is coming from the same campaign coffers he and his wife are accused of misusing, so far amounting to more than $600,000 for the lawyers,” Roll Call reports.

“Federal Election Commission filings show Hunter’s campaign made payments for ‘legal services’ or ‘legal fees’ to eight different law firms in excess of $600,000 during the 2018 election cycle. This includes disbursements of $182,000 to the San Diego-based law firm Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, which is representing Hunter in the grand jury investigation. The five-term GOP incumbent and his wife were indicted for allegedly using $250,000 in campaign funds for personal use.”

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) “seemed to shift any blame onto his wife, Margaret, on Thursday for alleged campaign fund abuses, saying she was the one handling his finances,” CNN reports.

Said Hunter: “She was also the campaign manager, so whatever she did that’ll be looked at too, I’m sure. But I didn’t do it. I didn’t spend any money illegally.”