Actually, it isn't at all. Not at all.
"Illinois congressman Schock to resign; Office decor led to ethics review" by Ashley Parker, New York Times March 18, 2015
WASHINGTON — Representative Aaron Schock, who has been plagued in recent weeks with questions about his spending of taxpayer and campaign money, said Tuesday that he will resign from his House seat at the end of the month.
“I do this with a heavy heart,” the Illinois Republican said in a statement. “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.”
Except he only $erved himself!
What is shocking the spectacle of the political cla$$ not knowing their $hit $tinks and thus issuing a statement like that.
Except he only $erved himself!
What is shocking the spectacle of the political cla$$ not knowing their $hit $tinks and thus issuing a statement like that.
The 33-year-old Schock had faced ethics questions since The Washington Post published an article last month about his “Downton Abbey”-themed office, which prompted an investigation into whether he had improperly accepted pro bono interior design services.
Umm, the whole theme is troubling -- as if he somehow sees the world in terms of lords and masters, and why wouldn't he? That is what we have got these days here in AmeriKa.
Schock personally paid back the $40,000 for the office renovations, which included red walls, a crystal chandelier, and a plume of pheasant feathers.
Oh, yeah, paying back the money makes everything all right.
Umm, the whole theme is troubling -- as if he somehow sees the world in terms of lords and masters, and why wouldn't he? That is what we have got these days here in AmeriKa.
Schock personally paid back the $40,000 for the office renovations, which included red walls, a crystal chandelier, and a plume of pheasant feathers.
Oh, yeah, paying back the money makes everything all right.
But his opulent Capitol décor, inspired by PBS’s Edwardian England period drama, also highlighted the lawmaker’s lavish lifestyle — well documented on his Instagram feed (surfing in Hawaii, dancing the tango in Buenos Aires), but not always as well chronicled on his financial disclosure forms.
I'm shocked he was such an idiot. Just shows you how much money protects wealth and cla$$.
I'm shocked he was such an idiot. Just shows you how much money protects wealth and cla$$.
In the following weeks, news reports continued to trickle out about such things as spending tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayer-funded accounts on previous office renovations, and spending taxpayer and campaign funds on private jets and concerts.
Schock’s resignation, first reported by Politico, came as the publication asked his office about tens of thousands of dollars in mileage reimbursements he may have improperly claimed for his own vehicle.
His meteoric rise began when he was elected as a fresh-faced 27-year-old, with a chiseled torso that landed him on the cover of Men’s Health and perpetually seemed to go viral.
--more--"
Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go surf some blogs for a while and find out the truth about what is going on out there rather than regurgitate more Bo$ton Globe slop. Sorry.
UPDATE:
"Aaron Schock donor sues, seeks reimbursement" by John O’Connor Associated Press April 16, 2015
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Former US representative Aaron Schock’s legal problems expanded Wednesday as a contributor sued to force the repayment of millions of campaign dollars, saying he was tricked into believing the young lawmaker who has since resigned amid questions about his spending was ‘‘a breath of fresh air’’ in a corruption-riddled state.
The unusual lawsuit filed by Howard Foster, a Chicago lawyer who pitched in just $500 to Schock, cites Illinois’ long history of political and financial shenanigans — from a pre-Civil War governor to former US representative Jesse Jackson Jr.’s recent prison term for misusing campaign funds — and plants Schock among them in claiming his fund-raising arm was a corrupt racket.
Related: I I FRIDAY
One election law specialist said he has never seen such a lawsuit and predicted legal obstacles.
Schock, a 33-year-old Republican from Peoria who resigned last month, had been a money-raising machine with shooting-star millennial appeal. The lawsuit targets all four of his fund-raising accounts. In his main congressional fund alone, he collected nearly $11 million since 2008, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Foster anted up ‘‘because he believed Mr. Schock was ethical, a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics, and had a bright future in Congress,’’ the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago, states. ‘‘However, the opposite was true, and while Schock may have been a new, young face in Congress, he willingly followed well-tread paths of political sleaze for personal gain.’’
The complaint seeks class-action status and repayment of all contributions. It counts 7,130 contributors to Schock’s main fund alone.
That is where my print copy ended it.
The lawsuit says Foster donated to Schock in April 2012 after receiving solicitations at his home, part of what Foster claims was ‘‘racketeering activity’’ which included writing ‘‘misleading fund-raising letters emphasizing the themes of integrity, freshness, and his bright future.’’
There could be more defendants, too — Schock is a defendant along with ‘‘John Does 1-100,’’ described as campaign-fund solicitors.
The complaint lists Schock among the Prairie State’s more infamous state and federal officeholders, beginning with 1850s Governor Joel Matteson, who illegally cashed $250,000 in scrip issued to finance the Illinois and Michigan Canal and a dozen more, up to Jackson and impeached ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich, sent to prison in 2012 for trying to sell the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama.
Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at UC-Irvine, said he’s never seen such a lawsuit and was skeptical about its chances of success. First of all, while they are not gifts, federal regulations consider campaign cash akin to such gestures of munificence.
‘‘If I give you a gift, I don’t really have a say over what you do with it, as opposed to, I give you money for a particular purpose,’’ Hasen said.
Hasen also questioned whether Schock could be linked to money technically given to election committees, although the lawsuit’s answer is that Schock directed those activities and signed letters seeking contributions.
Foster’s attorney, Steve Berman, noted Schock’s Capitol Hill farewell speech in which he vowed to ‘‘work tirelessly’’ to make amends to those he let down.
‘‘We believe this lawsuit gives him the golden opportunity to do just that,’’ the Seattle-based lawyer said in a statement, ‘‘and we look forward to seeing every penny returned to campaign contributors who believed the false statements Schock was spoon-feeding his supporters.’’
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I would be shocked if the lawsuit went anywhere. It would totally upend the political economy of this country.
So now you can sue on the basis of "a fool and his money," huh?
Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go surf some blogs for a while and find out the truth about what is going on out there rather than regurgitate more Bo$ton Globe slop. Sorry.
UPDATE:
"Aaron Schock donor sues, seeks reimbursement" by John O’Connor Associated Press April 16, 2015
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Former US representative Aaron Schock’s legal problems expanded Wednesday as a contributor sued to force the repayment of millions of campaign dollars, saying he was tricked into believing the young lawmaker who has since resigned amid questions about his spending was ‘‘a breath of fresh air’’ in a corruption-riddled state.
The unusual lawsuit filed by Howard Foster, a Chicago lawyer who pitched in just $500 to Schock, cites Illinois’ long history of political and financial shenanigans — from a pre-Civil War governor to former US representative Jesse Jackson Jr.’s recent prison term for misusing campaign funds — and plants Schock among them in claiming his fund-raising arm was a corrupt racket.
Related: I I FRIDAY
One election law specialist said he has never seen such a lawsuit and predicted legal obstacles.
Schock, a 33-year-old Republican from Peoria who resigned last month, had been a money-raising machine with shooting-star millennial appeal. The lawsuit targets all four of his fund-raising accounts. In his main congressional fund alone, he collected nearly $11 million since 2008, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Foster anted up ‘‘because he believed Mr. Schock was ethical, a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics, and had a bright future in Congress,’’ the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago, states. ‘‘However, the opposite was true, and while Schock may have been a new, young face in Congress, he willingly followed well-tread paths of political sleaze for personal gain.’’
The complaint seeks class-action status and repayment of all contributions. It counts 7,130 contributors to Schock’s main fund alone.
That is where my print copy ended it.
The lawsuit says Foster donated to Schock in April 2012 after receiving solicitations at his home, part of what Foster claims was ‘‘racketeering activity’’ which included writing ‘‘misleading fund-raising letters emphasizing the themes of integrity, freshness, and his bright future.’’
There could be more defendants, too — Schock is a defendant along with ‘‘John Does 1-100,’’ described as campaign-fund solicitors.
The complaint lists Schock among the Prairie State’s more infamous state and federal officeholders, beginning with 1850s Governor Joel Matteson, who illegally cashed $250,000 in scrip issued to finance the Illinois and Michigan Canal and a dozen more, up to Jackson and impeached ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich, sent to prison in 2012 for trying to sell the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama.
Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at UC-Irvine, said he’s never seen such a lawsuit and was skeptical about its chances of success. First of all, while they are not gifts, federal regulations consider campaign cash akin to such gestures of munificence.
‘‘If I give you a gift, I don’t really have a say over what you do with it, as opposed to, I give you money for a particular purpose,’’ Hasen said.
Hasen also questioned whether Schock could be linked to money technically given to election committees, although the lawsuit’s answer is that Schock directed those activities and signed letters seeking contributions.
Foster’s attorney, Steve Berman, noted Schock’s Capitol Hill farewell speech in which he vowed to ‘‘work tirelessly’’ to make amends to those he let down.
‘‘We believe this lawsuit gives him the golden opportunity to do just that,’’ the Seattle-based lawyer said in a statement, ‘‘and we look forward to seeing every penny returned to campaign contributors who believed the false statements Schock was spoon-feeding his supporters.’’
--more--"
I would be shocked if the lawsuit went anywhere. It would totally upend the political economy of this country.
So now you can sue on the basis of "a fool and his money," huh?
