San Diego Tribune: Group says Rep. Duncan Hunter is too close to the vaping industry
A letter this week from the American Democracy Legal Fund claims Hunter, R-Alpine, is too close to the vaping and electronic cigarette industries.
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Brendan Fischer of the non-partisan Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center, said Thursday by telephone that Hunter’s vape-related activity raised some questions about how he is using his time, but it didn’t necessarily cross ethical lines.
“All of this indicates Hunter’s close relationship with the vaping industry, which I don’t think is a secret,” Fischer said. “It’s not something he has tried to hide. The question is whether it implies an official endorsement. This doesn’t seem to rise to that level.”
Fischer said it’s not necessarily outside of ethical guidelines for a congressman to tell people he knows about a product he likes. It could become a problem if it appears to be an official endorsement or if he or his family have a financial interest in the product or company.