SAN DIEGO _ U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, who last month pleaded guilty to using campaign funds for personal use, said he will resign from Congress on Monday.
The California Republican notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday that he will resign Jan. 13.
"It has been an honor to serve the people of California's 50th District, and I greatly appreciate the trust they have put in me over these last 11 years," Hunter wrote in a letter announcing the day his resignation would take effect.
Hunter, who was elected to office in 2008, was indicted in August of 2018 on multiple federal charges that he stole $250,000 of campaign money and used it for family vacations, groceries, extramarital affairs and other non-campaign uses.
He recently pleaded guilty to a single county of conspiracy to convert campaign funds to personal use, a federal felony for which he could be sentenced up to five years in prison, although many consider it unlikely he'll serve that amount of time.
He is to be sentenced March 17.
Hunter's resignation puts the ball in Newsom's court for determining whether or not to call a special election to fill his vacant seat. Because Hunter's resignation will take effect after the filing deadline, which was early last month, Newsom has the option of legally leaving the seat vacant until after the November election.
The Democratic governor also has the option of calling for a special election, although it may be difficult to call for that special election to be consolidated with the March 3 primary.
The 50th District includes much of East County as well as the North County communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center and Escondido, and a small portion of Riverside County.
