Aaron Schock to resign amid spending scandal

Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigned Tuesday, less than 12 hours after POLITICO raised questions about tens of thousands of dollars in mileage reimbursements he received for his personal vehicle.

Schock billed the federal government and his campaign for logging roughly 170,000 miles on his personal car between January 2010 and July 2014. But when he sold that Chevrolet Tahoe in July 2014, it had only roughly 80,000 miles on the odometer, according to public records obtained by POLITICO under Illinois open records laws. The documents, in other words, indicate he was reimbursed for 90,000 miles more than his car was ever driven.

The discrepancy added to a growing wave of ethical and legal problems the 33-year-old politician faces.

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Dem said:

First I heard of this...

We don't need individuals like this in office....Sad, but if we removed individuals like this thee wouldn't be much left! LOL

Aaron Schock to resign amid spending scandal - CNN.com

Washington (CNN)Embattled Rep. Aaron Schock announced Tuesday he would resign his seat at the end of the month, in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation into reports that he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events.

In a statement, he said he was stepping down "with a heavy heart," having given his constituents "my all over the last six years."

"But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself," he added.

Politico first reported on Tuesday afternoon that Schock would step down. The news marks the end of an embarrassing chapter for the former GOP rising star congressman known for his Instagram account and a memorable shirtless appearance on the cover of Men's Health magazine.

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ThePlayDrive said:

I thought he was going to ride it through as well. I'm surprised. I wonder if something bigger is going to come out.

Let's the shock/Schock puns begin!

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For a man who has enjoyed such a short and undistinguished career, Illinois’s Representative Aaron Schock (R.) has sure packed in a lot of corruption. In the last few years alone, Schock has contrived to spend $40,000 of taxpayers’ money redecorating his congressional office in the lavish style of television’s Downton Abbey; he has exhibited a penchant for taxpayer-financed luxury hotels and private aircraft that is flatly incompatible with both his conservative rhetoric and the political presumptions of a free nation; and, per Politico, he has “taken several trips abroad without following disclosure rules.” Politico revealed, moreover, that Schock had charged the American public $3,000 for “software on Nov. 14,” but that the expenditure was in fact “part of the cost of flying in a software executive’s private plane to a Chicago Bears game and his district.”

Let’s say it, aloud: Aaron Schock is a crook.

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brothern said:

Read more: Aaron Schock resigns after new questions about mileage expenses - POLITICO



I actually said "Holy crap!" on the phone when I read the new headline about an hour ago. Good thing I was on mute, otherwise everyone would think I was really into master data management.

I thought he was going to ride this through. After all, he's popular in his district. Guess that this mileage reimbursement was the last straw.
( Spin off question: What is with these US and UK politicians and claiming absurd expenses? )

I'm not sure this is going to be a Democratic pick-up. This district is R+11 per Cook.

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Zyphlin said:

That is a BLISTERING first paragraph to a story

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Jetboogieman said:

You know whats scary to me though, and it's the same thing in Canada and the UK when it comes to all this expense stuff that's come out over the last few years...

These particular cases we see in the media can't have been the only ones.

It takes a culture of abuse to reach the point where you're brazen enough to misuse public funds in this manner and to this extent.

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Dem said:

First I heard of this...

We don't need individuals like this in office....Sad, but if we removed individuals like this there wouldn't be much left! LOL

Aaron Schock to resign amid spending scandal - CNN.com

Washington (CNN)Embattled Rep. Aaron Schock announced Tuesday he would resign his seat at the end of the month, in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation into reports that he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events.

In a statement, he said he was stepping down "with a heavy heart," having given his constituents "my all over the last six years."

"But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself," he added.

Politico first reported on Tuesday afternoon that Schock would step down. The news marks the end of an embarrassing chapter for the former GOP rising star congressman known for his Instagram account and a memorable shirtless appearance on the cover of Men's Health magazine.

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Disgraced Senator Mike Duffy faces 31 charges relating to alleged breach of trust, fraud and bribery. In laying the charges, the RCMP described two “avenues” directly relating to the expenses issue – his filing of living expenses for his secondary residence in Ottawa, and the filing of travel expenses for trips they allege were not for Senate business.

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Jetboogieman said:

You know whats scary to me though, and it's the same thing in Canada and the UK when it comes to all this expense stuff that's come out over the last few years...

These particular cases we see in the media can't have been the only ones.

It takes a culture of abuse to reach the point where you're brazen enough to misuse public funds in this manner and to this extent.

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Zyphlin said:

And just for fun, the criticism of him is absolutely bi partisan

Aaron Shock should find a different job (National Review)



That is a BLISTERING first paragraph to a story

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tres borrachos said:

Damn shame. I liked him when he was first elected. A fresh young face, attractive, excellent! But then he took total advantage of his power, and the lavish spending was out of control. Too bad, but the last thing we need are more unethical Congressmen. We already have enough.

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Meadowlark said:

It's difficult to imagine a corrupt politician in this day and age, shameful! :roll:

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tres borrachos said:

Charlie Rangel eats up enough of the "I'm corrupt but they protect me" space in Congress. Maybe when he's finally gone Shock can run again and take his position as Chief Corrupt.

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Meadowlark said:

I think old Charlie is going to live forever,

it's a viable idea when opportunity knocks, perfect title 'Chief Corrupt'.

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