Lost underneath the news of Donald Trump's former personal attorney and campaign manager falling to separate corruption cases, was one of Trump's biggest Congressional backers facing his own corruption charges.

A Federal Grand Jury in San Diego, California indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife Margaret Hunter on charges of illegally using US$250,000 of campaign funds as a personal piggybank to cover at the bills accumulated through an arrogant, ethics-free, and out-of-control lifestyle.  The Hunters deny these charges.

The indictment says the Hunters "overdrew their bank account more than 1,100 times in a seven-year period resulting in approximately $37,761 in 'overdraft' and 'insufficient funds bank' fees."  They allegedly used the campaign funds on lavish international family vacations, dental work, rounds of golf, birthday gifts, sporting events, school tuition, and hefty bar tabs.

And each time they allegedly dipped into the campaign cash, prosecutors say staffers warned the Hunters that this was illegal - but Duncan Hunter accused his staff of disloyalty and trying to build a paper trail on him.

Two egregious episodes involved attempts to use the US military to justify the expenses.  In one instance, Hunter bought clothes at a golf course and allegedly misrepresented them as golf balls for "wounded warriors".  In the other, he tried to arrange a arrange a tour of a US naval facility in Italy to justify his family's vacation to the southern European country.  But the indictment says, "After Navy officials responded that they could only provide a tour on a particular date, Duncan Hunter said he would discuss the proposed date with Margaret Hunter, then subsequently told his Chief of Staff, 'tell the Navy to go f*** themselves,' and no tour occurred."

As mentioned earlier, the Hunters deny the charges.  Echoing the words of Trump, Duncan Hunter is blaming a "witch hunt" at the US Department of Justice and condemning US Attorney General Jeff Sessions.  The prosecutors in the case were appointed by the Trump administration.

This has created an uncomfortable situation for Republicans.  "The charges against Rep. Hunter are deeply serious," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, "Now that he has been indicted, Rep. Hunter will be removed from his committee assignments pending the resolution of this matter."

But Hunter is refusing to step down from the Armed Services Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Education and the Workforce Committee.  The Republicans will have to pull the lever on a plan to forcibly remove him from those posts.