Such a pretty, pretty princess! They travel all over the world together. I'm trying to think of any other congresscritters who have full-time photographers on-staff, but can't think of any. A lot of them don't even have them on for campaign season.
Posted on 03/13/2015 10:03:13 AM PDT by jazusamo
A popular Illinois congressman once considered a rising star in the Republican party is in deep trouble for reportedly using taxpayer money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that includes stays at luxurious hotels, world travel, expensive cars and private jet rides to concerts and pro sporting events.
The lawmaker’s name is Aaron Schock and he’s only 33, but he’s a seasoned politician who should have known better than to use public funds as a personal piggy bank. For six years he’s represented a working-class district in Peoria, Illinois in the U.S. House. One national media report says he had a meteoric rise from a local school board to one of the top fundraisers in the House Republican Conference. But this month the congressman was forced to hire a “crisis communications firm” and two prominent defense attorneys. In a biting editorial, his hometown newspaper blasts him for ripping off taxpayers to fund “five-star lodging and fancy dining with celebrities across the globe, from London to Saudi Arabia to an exclusive golf course in Maryland…”
Schock also blew $40,000 from public coffers to redecorate his office, sold his home to a wealthy donor for a price well above market rate, failed to report gifts from a lavish European trip and spent more than $10,000 on a weekend getaway to New York with a few staffers, according to recent news reports. The congressman and his staff didn’t perform many official duties on the costly New York jaunt, according to a Chicago newspaper that broke the story. Instead, they schmoozed it up with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Schock shamelessly used the occasion to “raise his profile.” At least 10 Schock House staffers were on the taxpayer-funded New York trip, the story says.
It seems like every day another Schock transgression gets uncovered. At the very least he has committed a number of serious ethical lapses that should draw congressional scrutiny and negatively impact his 2016 reelection campaign. His district is solidly Republican and some conservatives are already calling for his ouster. This week a conservative news magazine called Schock a “crook” and wrote that his “penchant for taxpayer-financed luxury hotels and private aircraft” is “flatly incompatible with both his conservative rhetoric and the political presumptions of a free nation.” The lashing goes on: “If his behavior is any guide, the man believes that the people of Illinois’s 18th congressional district have hired him to serve not as a dull public servant but as their very own nationalized celebrity. They have not.”
In another hard-hitting piece, the editor of a well-known conservative Capitol Hill news site lambasts the congressman: “Rep. Aaron Schock has proven himself incapable of handling his own money, the money of his donors, and taxpayer money. He has lived excessively off the backs of taxpayers who must be reimbursed and off of donors to whom he is now a servant.” Dismissing Schock as a “celebrity” who “lack[s] the necessary integrity to handle the power of the purse,” Erickson suggested his next career move: “Perhaps Downton Abbey needs someone else to fill the role of an American playboy chasing a Crawley.”
Such a pretty, pretty princess! They travel all over the world together. I'm trying to think of any other congresscritters who have full-time photographers on-staff, but can't think of any. A lot of them don't even have them on for campaign season.
LOL, yep. Alarms and bells from my 1950 gaydar and going off. :)
“...reportedly using taxpayer money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that includes stays at luxurious hotels, world travel, expensive cars and private jet rides to concerts and pro sporting events.”
Sounds like he’d make a perfect successor to Obama.
The guy is as queer as a football bat! Those vacation expenses are right up there with 0bama’s. Does he think he’s president?
If he loses during a primary, he could always run in Barny Frank’s old district. I’m sure they’d just LOVE to have him!
‘zactly!
On democrats are allowed to enrich themselves and their friends and family at taxpayer expense!
The guy has good taste, at least. That would be my dream home.
Yes, it IS a nice home, but you don’t get it.
Don’t worry, it’s GOOD that you don’t get it.
hang him. we don’t need him or anyone else who thinks our tax dollars are theirs to play with.
Yeah, I get it.
Where is that particular “log cabin” anyways? It’s seriously cool. Wonder if it’s on a lake, with a boat docks. With a 1930s ERCO or two tied up ...
My congressman, I met him when he first ran for office, liked him, voted for him and had high hopes for him to be truly conservative. He won the office and right off the bat started talking about climate change.
That’s three losers in a row for this district. Bob Michaels, Ray LaHood and now this moron.
Thanks...Any chance that a conservative could primary him ‘16?
Schock is entrenched, I don’t know if this stuff is enough to bring him down and I haven’t heard of any rising stars yet.
I hear you.
Here’s the page the image is on:
http://www.murphyrealtygrp.com/ulster-county-log-cabins-log-homes-for-sale.php
I don’t “GET IT” either....
Do elaborate please.
Nevermind...it just hit me right in the face!!! lol
TOTALLY GAY...he needs to go.
” Schock shamelessly used the occasion to “raise his profile.” At least 10 Schock House staffers were on the taxpayer-funded New York trip, the story says.”
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Senate:
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House:
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State Dept.
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