The Latest: Judge delays corruption trial of lawmaker

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Latest on the corruption case against U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

A U.S. judge in San Diego has pushed back the corruption trial of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter until next year.

The 42-year-old Republican lawmaker and his wife have been accused of misusing $250,000 in campaign funds. Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty to one count.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan on Tuesday changed the trial date from Sept. 10 to Jan. 14.

Hunter’s attorney had asked for the delay while they appeal Whelan’s July 8 ruling in which he refused to dismiss the case.

In court documents, attorneys for Hunter say the case should not be tried until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the appeal.

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12:10 a.m.

U.S. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, who is facing corruption charges, wants his Sept. 10 trial postponed while his attorneys appeal a judge’s refusal last month to dismiss the case.

The California lawmaker’s attorneys plan to make the request Tuesday to the federal judge in San Diego whose refusal to toss the case he is appealing.

Hunter and his wife are accused of misusing $250,000 in campaign funds. Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty to one count.

Defense lawyers argued July 8 that prosecutors were politically motivated and got the 42-year-old congressman indicted only months before the 2018 election.

The judge said he found no evidence of that.

In court documents, his attorneys say the case should not be tried until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules first on the appeal.