Posted on 03/17/2015 1:08:11 PM PDT by csvset
WASHINGTON Embattled Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., facing a growing number of questions over his use of taxpayer and campaign funds on Tuesday announced that he will resign from Congress on March 31.
By stepping down now, Schock likely heads off a probe in the works by the Office of Congressional Ethics and a likely examination of his spending by the House Ethics Committee. It does not automatically shut off inquiries, if there are any, from the Federal Election Commission or the Justice Department.
Schocks resignation comes as his legal and public relations team knew more revelations were probably coming and as the Sun-Times was conducting an investigation of his mileage reimbursement claims. Motor vehicle records from the Illinois Secretary of State, obtained by the Sun-Times under the Freedom of Information Act, suggest that Schock billed more miles than his vehicle was driven.
On Monday, the Sun-Times reported that Schock billed taxpayers for mileage on the $74,000 Chevy Tahoe he was driving paid for by on of his political committees.
CREW the ethics watchdog group urged that investigations into Rep. Schocks conduct continue. Although the Office of Congressional Ethics loses jurisdiction once he leaves the House, CREW has also filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, which can and must continue its investigation. Todays revelations about Rep. Schocks mileage reimbursements indicate the need for a criminal investigation as well.
The public deserves to know the full extent of all laws and rules that Rep. Schock may have broken during his time in office and how he was able to avoid accountability for so long. It would do a great disservice to the public for the search for the truth to end simply because Rep. Schocks political career has, CREW said in the statement.
The resignation came as a surprise to Schocks colleagues. Members who were with him in the gym this morning had no indication this was coming, a source told the Sun-Times.
Tax evasion by black public figures is still okay though.
Princess Barry would know for sure.
R+11
Schocking.
Log Cabin FOR SALE!
As to whether there are differences between where the parties stand, I disagree on that,too - but that is a debate for another time.
Nationwide, House vacancies are filled by special election.
In some states the parties choose the candidates; other states have a jungle primary with a possible runoff; others have separate special primaries then a special general.
Back in the GOPe hood. Why should a reasonably conservative GOP district want anything to do with the son of an Obama cabinet member? Find some young non-ratmaleable, tea party person who’ll run against Obama, both Madigans and Chicago politics and win big.
Schock succeeded Ray LaHood (who was the BHO’s Secretary of Transportation). LaHood was chief of staff for Bob Michel, the erstwhile GOP Minority Leader who left Congress at the end of 1994, just as Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America took over the House.
Michel was first elected to Congress in the 1956 election (Dwight Eisenhower’s second presidential election year).
Before Michel was Harold Velde, who was the chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee when the GOP controlled the house 1953-1955; before Velde was the famous Everett McKinley Dirksen, who served eight terms in the House before being elected to the US Senate. The two congressmen that preceded Dirksen were also GOP; the last ‘Rat congressman for the area was one Claude U. Stone, who was defeated for re-election in the 1916 election (Woodrow Wilson’s second presidential election)
So the Peoria-Pekin area has elected a GOP congressman continuously for 50 terms—assuming a GOP candidate wins the special election, this will make it 100 consecutive years.
Stupid.
You don’t sponge off your campaign and office expenses where everything is documented and public record. You get your money from insider trading through political donors like all the rest of Congress.
Perfectly legally.
Today, I read that Sen. Mark Kirk endorsed State Sen. Darin LaHood. That means that LaHood is the most liberal Republican, in that race. I hope that will cause all conservatives to endorse a conservative, Ron Wallace. He needs a more people to volunteer and donate.
No kidding. Sadly, if you talk to LaThug Jr.'s conservative fan club, it doesn't seem to bother them that they're on the same side as Rauner and Kirk when it comes to trying to "clear the field" so we can start a new political dynasty in Illinois. One of LaThug's fans even claimed he was working independently of Rauner, despite the fact they share the same goal of trying to coronate LaThug from the instant he announced he was running.
Name one time LaThug's "more conservative" son DISAGREED with dear ol' dad's treasonous left-wing politics.
So goeth the meme. It's bullshite, but 'conservatives' seem more than willing to eat it and pretend it tastes yummy. Apples rarely fall far.
The LaThug family is scum, Jr. is a downgrade even from Pixie Boy Aaron. GD dynasty politicians.
But I won't endorse Phil's desultory candidate Wallace either. I know I saw Cruz birther BS on his twitter less than a week ago, I can't find it cause he's made about 100000 more tweets since then, ridiculous, you'd think he was a teenage girl. He seems to have flip flopped and now says he'd make Cruz his VP (WTF?). (@ReigniteAmerica @SenTedCruz @TedCruz can pick me for VP... and I will pick him if I am the nominee.) I just love delusional people.
Lawyer Mark Zalcman is also running. He has my backing by default unless someone better enters the race, which seems extremely unlikely. If no one does, LaThug Jr. will win in walk. BOO!
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