Tag Archives: Aaron Schock

Aaron Schock case assigned to federal judge in Urbana

Jan 23, 2017 | WLSAM Staff

 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A former federal prosecutor who became a judge in 2013 has been assigned to handle the corruption case against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Shadid assigned the case to Judge Colin Bruce.

Bruce presides over a courtroom in Urbana. He worked in the U.S. attorney’s office in Illinois’ central district from 1989 to 2013, becoming first assistant U.S. attorney.

Schock is scheduled to go to trial July 11. The Republican from Peoria faces charges of fraud, filing a false tax return, theft of government funds and falsification of Federal Election Commission filings.

U.S. District Court Judge Sue Myerscough recused herself on Thursday, agreeing with defense attorneys that several issues could create an appearance of bias.

 

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Attorneys for Aaron Schock ask judge to postpone arraignment

Nov 16, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Attorneys for former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock are asking a federal judge to postpone his arraignment on charges alleging he schemed to profit personally from his government job.

In a request made Tuesday to U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, Schock’s lawyers say a Nov. 21 arraignment will interfere with a planned international business trip by the Peoria Republican.

Schock’s attorneys asked that his arraignment be shifted to Dec. 12-15, noting federal prosecutors did not object to rescheduling the proceeding. They also say the hearing date conflicted with their schedules.

The 35-year-old Schock was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on 24 felony counts. He is accused of several crimes, including theft of government funds, fraud, making false statements and filing false tax returns.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Schock donor files lawsuit to get his money back

Apr 15, 2015 | tslutzkin

(Chicago)  A campaign donor to former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday morning against the scandal-plagued Peoria Republican and urged Schock to make up for his alleged misdeeds by issuing refunds to campaign contributors, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Howard Foster of Chicago gave $500 to Schock’s campaign in April 2012 because he believed Schock was “ethical, a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics, and had a bright future in Congress,” according to his complaint. Instead, Foster said Schock “followed well-tread paths of political sleaze for personal gain.”

Schock, 33, elected to Congress in 2008, stepped down March 31 as he faced mounting serious legal problems — many of which are detailed in the lawsuit Foster is pursuing as a class-action RICO complaint. Federal prosecutors are now investigating Schock, and at least three current or former staffers visited Springfield last week to testify before a grand jury.

Neither the former congressman nor his representatives could immediately be reached to comment on the lawsuit.

The Chicago Sun-Times revealed that Schock charged taxpayers for a charter from Peoria to Chicago for a Bears game, and a taxpayer-paid weekend trip to New York with 10 House staffers where little official business was conducted.

The Sun-Times also disclosed Schock claimed taxpayer-paid mileage for a $73,896.96 SUV purchased by Schock’s campaign in 2014, which he put in his name.

Schock announced his resignation as the Sun-Times and Politico were working on stories about charging taxpayers for more miles on his 2010 Chevy Tahoe than the SUV was ever driven. Foster pointed out the car had only 81,860 miles on the odometer even though Schock had received reimbursements for 170,000 miles, “enriching himself by about $50,000.”

Schock’s 18th congressional district included parts of Springfield. His Springfield office is down the block from where the grand jury is sitting – in the Paul Findley Federal Building  and U.S. Courthouse – named for a long-serving member of the House of Representatives who represented parts of central and western Illinois.

Schock delivered a farewell speech on March 26, where he said in his last speech on the House floor, “I know that God has a plan for my life.”

Foster also quoted Schock as saying, “for those whom I’ve let down, I will work tirelessly to make it up to you.”

“With this lawsuit, Schock has an opportunity to do just that by refunding campaign contributions,” Foster wrote.

–Chicago Sun-Times

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

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