According to today’s San Diego union-Tribune, Con(gress)man Duncan Hunter Jr has filed notice with the 9th District Court of Appeals that he intends to file a motion challenging a ruling by District Court Judge Whelan refusing to throw out the indictment against him. The indictment on 60 counts of financial corruption was to go to trial in September, but Hunter is claiming that as a member of Congress he cannot be charged for ‘legislative acts taken in the course of their official duties’ (speech or debate clause), because reasons.
Judge Whelan had dismissed that idea because so many of the things Hunter used the money for were clearly personal, but Hunter has learned from the Orange Dufus that doing things in office makes them official and therefore always right. [sigh]. This filing may delay the trial.
The Appellate Court rarely intervenes in cases like this, but Hunter may just be trying to delay the inevitable. Some say it may work, others just sigh or laugh. Only time will tell.