The FEC said that due to his campaign's "lack of financial resources," the agency sought a smaller than usual fine, noting it would typically seek a "substantially higher civil penalty" of $133,000 based on the violations.
A quarterly report from October 2021 revealed that Hunter’s campaign had $14,000 cash on hand and roughly $40,000 in outstanding debts, the FEC said, and the campaign appeared unable to raise additional funds." more than $250,000 by using campaign cash used for purchases such as family trips to Hawaii and Italy, plane rides for relatives and their pet rabbit, and even $1,500 for video games.
But as Trump neared the end of his presidency, he issued a flurry of pardons and offered Hunter and his wife “full and unconditional” pardons for their criminal convictions.from the FEC's general counsel, however, raised doubts about whether Trump's pardon extended to civil offenses, arguing the now-former president "limited the text of the Hunters’ pardons specifically to the criminal matter," which paved the way for the recent fines.
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