Breaking: Former ‘Downton Abbey’ GOP Congressman Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Felony Corruption Charges
24 Federal ChargesÂ
Former U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) has just pleaded not guilty to 24 federal felony charges that include wire fraud, mail fraud, theft of government funds, making false statements, filing false reports with federal election officials and filing false tax returns. The Chicago Tribune detailed the allegations Monday, noting the federal indictment, which is 52-pages long, “portrays Schock as using campaign and taxpayer money to bankroll a lavish lifestyle.”
“Not guilty.” Says Aaron Schock on the charges against him. Said even toned and firmly. #ilpol #schock
— Eric Feldman (@EricSFeldman) December 12, 2016
Schock is a conservative Republican who opposes same-sex marriage, a woman’s right to choose, the repeal of DADT, and even the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. His social media accounts often drew attention, with postings on Instagram raising eyebrows from his constituents in Peoria, Illinois.Â
But when a Washington Post reporter tweeted photos of Schock’s newly redecorated Washington, D.C. office, which many said looked like it was straight out of PBS’s “Downton Abbey,” the media backlash was extensive, and drew calls for an ethics investigation.
Aaron Schock pleads not guilty; trial Feb. 7; defense asks for august trial date due to extensive discovery
— Matt Dietrich (@MattReboot) December 12, 2016
Ultimately, Schock was forced to resign after news broke that he had illegally accepted the decorator’s services for free, a violation of ethics rules, and federal investigators were looking into his use of federal funds for trips and concerts.
.@aaronschock will be able to travel, even internationally, for work. He’ll have to surrender his passport after each trip.
— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) December 12, 2016
.@aaronschock pleads not guilty to the 24 counts alleged against him. Not unexpected. These are the possible penalties: pic.twitter.com/8NCFT2BjV3
— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) December 12, 2016
Video from 2015 of Schock discussing ofice:
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This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.
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