Rep. Aaron Schock resigns

[blogslut]

Source: Politico



By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer and John Bresnahan

3/17/15 2:08 PM EDT

Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock is resigning his seat in Congress.

The 33-year-old Republican has been dogged by questions about his spending of taxpayer and campaign dollars. On Monday afternoon, POLITICO posed a lengthy set of questions about charging the government and his campaign tens of thousands of dollars in questionable mileage reimbursements.

“Today, I am announcing my resignation as a Member of the United States House of Representatives effective March 31,” Schock said in a statement. “I do this with a heavy heart. Serving the people of the 18th District is the highest and greatest honor I have had in my life. I thank them for their faith in electing me and letting me represent their interests in Washington. I have given them my all over the last six years. I have traveled to all corners of the District to meet with the people I’ve been fortunate to be able to call my friends and neighbors.”

“But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficultfor me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself. I have always sought to do what’s best for my constituents and I thank them for the opportunity to serve,” he said in a statement...

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/aaron-schock-resigns-116153.html?hp=t1_r

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sorry for the source but there it is

[alp227]

1. Chicago Tribune story today

Donors had role in Aaron Schock's 2014 property deal

[alp227]

2. MSNBC has this on twitter

https://twitter.com/msnbc/status/577896553987338241

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. Aaron, we hardly knew ye.

Next?

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. Peoria will elect another corrupt Republican asshole

Bank that.

[Wabbajack_]

39. Most/All of Peoria itself

Is in the 17th now

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/map

But Schock's district is Republican and very unlikely to switch, you are right.

[alarimer]

4. hmm, resigning before the prosecution is not the usual tactic.

There must be a hell of a lot more on this guy.

[brucefan]

5. The conservative victims

"I can't do my job if everybody keeps asking questions "

[SoapBox]

8. Ha!

I thought the same thing.

Pukes and Baggers hate questions.

[Scuba]

18. Eggzaklee.

[tblue37]

21. Palin's excuse, too, when she quit. nt

[merrily]

33. The Grifter's Lament.

[Corey_Baker08]

6. Great News One More Corrupt Republican...

Any chance a Democrat will pick up this seat?

[frazzled]

11. The last election won by a Dem in that district was in 1933

Just saying. Though it was Ray LaHood's district for many years, so maybe slightly more moderate Republicans are the rule there.

[Major Hogwash]

40. So, you're saying there's a chance?!

I get ya.

[global1]

7. I Guess This Qualifies Him As Repug Presidential Material Now.....nt

[Renew Deal]

10. Lobbyist

[Renew Deal]

9. I'm Schocked

There must be something bigger there.

[Joe Bacon]

23. I'm SCHLOCKED!

Oh, I'm sure that there's something "bigger" involved!

[Doctor_J]

12. was he the one who decorated his office to look like the Taj Mahal?

Or was that a different Republican crook? Either way, Boner must be confident they can hold that seat, or this dude wouldn't be resigning.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. it were Downton Abbey, but close enough. They cost the same.

I honestly thought he would try to brazen this out. I guess his lawyers found such a deep pit of shit that they told him to be ready for a bracelet fitting and a perp walk.

[3catwoman3]

24. I also thought he would stick in until the last gasp.

To fold so quickly, just 6 weeks, certainly suggests a weak hand. it was just announced on the local ABC affiliate,

I wish someone could find something on my rep up north in McHenry county.

[47of74]

13. High standards, Aaron?

[longship]

19. Isn't that Grace Kelly?

I think so.

[Nedsdag]

22. Yes, it's her.

n/t

[William Seger]

36. "... high standards I set..."

"... for my vacation travel accommodations. office furnishings, and entertainment."

[Capt. Obvious]

14. I'm a little surprised

that I went to Blogactive and didn't see his name there.

[TeamPooka]

15. Buh bye. nt

[ellie]

16. Hahahahahahaha

One down, so many more to go.
Sayonara asshole!

[Sunlei]

25. Congressional Ethics started to check out reports so he quits & gets to keep our Federal funds?

While Mr Schock repaid the government $40,000 (£28,500) for the office renovation, it was the first in a series of increasingly serious headlines about his spending of public and campaign funds.

The Associated Press used geolocated data from the Illinois' lawmakers Instagram account and his flight records to pin the congressman for more than $40,000 of expenses taken to cover the cost of private flights.

While that is within the rules of Congress to use office funds in this way, it was not in 2013, the year investigated by the AP.

Separately, Mr Schock came under scrutiny for multiple property deals closely related to political donors.

On Monday the AP confirmed that the Office of Congressional Ethics had reached out to Schock's associates to interview them.

above from BBC



And Politico reported on Tuesday Mr Schock billed the federal government and his campaign for 170,000 miles (274,000km) on a personal vehicle over four years. But the vehicle only had about 80,000 miles recorded when he returned it.

[RoccoRyg]

26. Happy days are here again!

I interned at the campaign of his challenger, Colleen Callahan, in 2008, so this makes me very happy. We lost the race, but Obama's victory drowned out the disappointment.

[Dont call me Shirley]

27. An honor you abused, Aaron!

[sinkingfeeling]

28. But who will get his Downton Abbey office?

[47of74]

41. I call dibs on it on behalf of the next Democrat to go to the House from Iowa.

[wheniwasincongress]

29. I'm guessing

that some guy is about to come forward with certain allegations toward Mr. Schock.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

30. He wants to spend more time with his pecs.

[Luke Zee]

31. On the other hand, he's been offered a recurring role on "Downton Abbey"

As the stupid American.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

32. Pigs are flying, a Republican finally has to answer for his sins

Amazing.

[merrily]

34. The press actually brought him down, so kudos to them, for a change.

[DeSwiss]

35. I'm with George.....

- ''Garbage in, garbage out.''

K&R

[Tom Ripley]

37. Cinderella has left the ball

[Yonx]

38. It had to be a Republican

As usual.

[Cha]

42. Republicon AS.. "Votes to Cut Food Stamps because they are a Waste of Taxpayers Money.."

http://theobamadiary.com/2015/03/17/its-st-patricks-day-that-means-laughter/#comments

[TBF]

43. I'm waiting for the Scott Walker resignation -

but this is a good start.