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.
“[T]he 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,” Schock said in a surprise statement on Tuesday. “I have always sought to do what’s best for my constituents and I thank them for the opportunity to serve.”
As many of you may remember last month it was revealed that Schock had decorated his office in a sort of Downton Abbey style, which of course attracted all kinds of scrutiny.
Wow! A Republican who resigns in the face of potential ethics charges.
What will they think of next?
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Makes me wonder why Sarah had to resign so suddenly back in 2009. There is a back story there and someday it will all come out. Nothing stays secret forever.
ReplyDeleteIf she dares run for office again, it will!
DeleteMany know why and aren't afraid to speak.
"Anonymous2:55 PM
DeleteIf she dares run for office again, it will!
Many know why and aren't afraid to speak."
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Apparently they are. Why should this information only be released if she decides to run again?
I agree with Nefer. Why should this information only be released if she decides to run again?
DeleteEverytime she opens her mouth, she damages the country by misinforming her sad, sad followers.
Exactly. The information should have been made public at the time.
DeleteMy thoughts: For the "lamestream" media she continually chastises, there's a reason they backed away from The Wild Ride hoax. There's also a reason why she was told in no uncertain terms to stay the hell away from the 2012 convention.
DeleteThink on what a conniving tribe they are. What they portray is never true, and I'll bet that the "elite" she hates has so much knows volumes about her. They let her play her cat and mouse game, heck, they all do it. When and if she comes out with her "it will be unconventional" run, they will destroy her. She's a know nothing opportunist, funded by the Kochs and AIP, certainly not a leader in any sense of the word.
Dakota becoming engaged to Bristol was politically planned. She brought the freaking ring. Just watch where this goes.....
Bought. No r
DeleteYou guys are still waiting on the promised 'information' on Palin? Lolololololol.
DeleteIf she dares run for office again, it will!
DeleteMany know why and aren't afraid to speak.
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I want to know why Sarah is entitled to the "get out of jail free" card. So what's keeping them from talking, there have been many other politicians that have had to resign and the reasons were not kept a secret from the public.
After all she was a public employee, they paid her salary and have the right to know why she quit!
"What’s best for my constituents," eh Aaron? Taxpayer-funded trips, private jets, and overstating mileage on cars for personal reimbursement? You need yourself a PAC, buddy, please call $arah; she'll tell you how it's done!
ReplyDeleteThat pic is soooo Pat Boone. LOL!
When I scrolled down it almost looked like Todd! But I've never seen Todd in white pants.
ReplyDeleteThis was a surprise; I thought something more along the lines of an Anthony Weiner-type scandal would be the thing with Schock.
ReplyDeleteHis sudden resignation makes me think something was about to be revealed, so a scandal may have been looming.
DeleteAs rule of law, by his resigning, ethics charges will be dropped. Criminal charges cannot be.
DeleteMy guess is a bf threatened to come out. And by bf I mean paid male escort.
ReplyDeleteI think Schock is just smart enough to have extracted promises of future grifting in exchange for not spilling the beans on some more powerful congress-critter. I wonder what tales Schock agreed to bury.
ReplyDeleteSaw this story on the CBS news tonight,the best part is he did himself in, they were able to trace where a lot of the money went to by looking at his instagram photos.
ReplyDeleteHe will still face charges even if he resigned, but they didn't mention if he has to pay back the taxpayers.
I read that he's reimbursing all the vehicle milage expenses, just to be safe, lol. I'm sure it's just the tip of the iceberg.
DeleteVacations, massages, private parties just to name a few, all paid for by the taxpayers. I can't remember what else CBS mentioned, the list was so long.
DeleteI was raised to be scrupulously honest, especially where money is concerned. Many years ago I spent hours poring over financial records to find a discrepancy of less than a dollar in a budget for a special event I had run that totaled over $80,000. It wasn't my money so I felt obligated to make sure the account was balanced. The sponsor who supplied a lot of the funds and giveaways for the event thought I was crazy, but I was determined to find my mistake...which I did. Not only did I feel better, but that sponsor NEVER hesitated to fund my programs again because he knew I would never cheat him.
ReplyDeleteI simply cannot understand how so many politicians, especially those on the right, have absolutely no conscience when it comes to using (and wasting) other people's money. What's even worse, is that, more and more often these days, they don't even try to hide it when they do something illegal or immoral, and are shocked when someone calls them on their dishonesty.
Maybe that's why I never wanted to go into politics!
Iam wondering what else is in his closet that he doesn't want people to know about? I mean Besides the gay thing.This narcissist hired his own "personal Photographer" and took him along on several "trips".All paid for by taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteA "personal photographer"?!!
DeleteA pink (fuchsia?) shirt and a turquoise belt? I'm not infering anything here except that's a strange man. Doesn't seem suited for politics. But he'll be a Fox 'News' pundit before long. You know the drill- ran out of office by the lamestream media, convicted by the liberal press...yada yada yada. Take a page from the Palin playbook and try and cash in.
ReplyDeleteDistraction? Yeah, right. I think the worldwide trips and over-the-top decorating and the travel companion were the real distraction from his representation of the people of Peoria, IL.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the comments about a possible gay scandal. What straight guy decorates his office in Downton Abbey Style? Couldn't care less if he is gay or straight. Just be honest already.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect to dviaries, I think he is gay as well and was trying to be something he's not. You know, like $arah does, how they project themselves onto others? Just come out, dude, you'll be happier!
DeleteThis guy is Palin in male form.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the first thing you do when elected to be mayor or Congress?
Why, redecorate your office on the backs of the taxpayer of course!
That one move, right there says everything about $arah and $chock that you ever need to know.
Quick, someone deliver a fainting couch to Lindsey's office asap. The old queen has the vapors,
ReplyDeleteGood visual!
DeleteHe better have a damn good attorney because he is headed on a one way trip to a Federal prison.
ReplyDeleteA la Jesse Jackson, 4:20? My question is, if Jesse Jackson is serving time for inappropriate spending of campaign funds why isn't Sarah serving time for inappropriate spending of PAC funds?
DeleteAgree Anonymous 3:36, and that even more was going to be revealed.
ReplyDeleteWhen driving this afternoon, I learned of Schock's resignation while listening to my local public radio station. My immediate response was "yes!--another GOP crook is gone". Not that another one just as bad won't take his place.
WHAAATT??? The gay lizard QUIT??!!
ReplyDeleteI'm Schocked !!
Gryphen, I wish you'd written in your blog note as well as the title above the similarity of the Downton Abbey bordello look of Schock's office to that of then-Mayor Sarah Palin of Wasilla...
ReplyDeleteNow we know that that bordello-look was the rill thing!
DeleteI am dying to see a photo of her bordello office, are there any photos?
DeleteI'd love to see a photo of Palin's mayor's office after she got done with it. Anyone have one?
DeleteI never thought that his office was "Downton Abbey-ish"; it's pure late 19th/early 20th century bordello style. I wonder what design school his decorator attended.
DeleteI'm glad he's gone but I also think there were much worse things lurking in his closets.
Beaglemom
The photographer was often in photos with Schock. So who took the photos?
ReplyDeletePalin comes up a number of times in the Talking Points Memo discussion of Schock's resignation. Oddly, there is also a curious mention of him using the name Menard in a real estate transaction, according to the AP:
"Schock has created several shell companies as vehicles for his real estate moves, but it was unclear why he used the name "Menard" in his purchase of the Peoria property from Green.
Menard Inc. is a Wisconsin-based home improvement firm with franchise stores across the Midwest. A Menard franchise once operated on the land owned by Schock and Green, but a separate store now operates in another Peoria location. A Menard spokesman, Jeff Abbott, said he was looking into Schock's use of the company name."
Going to be quite the schadenfreude fest.
http://www.alanilagan.com/gay/aaron-schock-is-not-gay-and-these-pictures-prove-it/
That young dude is looking at some serious time in the federal pen. Good to know that he is buff (saw his shirtless abs pic on The Rachel Maddow Show tonight) and he will be making some new friends in Marion, Illinois soon.
DeleteDamn! Representative Schock had bad-ass taste in everything he did! Downton Abbey office decor, Black Tahoe, his designer suits and ties, his designer loafers, everything he owned was bad-ass! Just look at that turquoise belt with the white jeans and the madras plaid shirt, it screams the Hamptons! Are you sure he wasn't a Democrat?
ReplyDeleteThe guy is a thief with no moral compass and is a professional hater and you ask if he's a Democrat? Fuck you.
DeletePoor wee gay man. Time for a healthy dose of self-reflection and humility. Followed by some serious time on the agony aunt media couch. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThe Peoria playboy. Wonder what is coming at him that we don't know about yet.
ReplyDeleteNow watch him rake in the big bucks, palin style, talking about God, Guns and Warriors.
ReplyDeleteProbably better this way than "Toe Tapping At The Airport" where he was certainly heading...
ReplyDeleteAt least this way he's not pushing his Anti-Gay Hypocrisy on us...
And now, whoever gets those offices will have to spend money to redecorate again.
ReplyDelete