Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Getting down to the little stuff

Posted in:

Illinois
Updated Posts

* Dude. Really? Buzzfeed…

Rep. Aaron Schock owns what appears to be a fairly accurate replica of “The Falcon” — the internal White House nickname for one of President Obama’s official podiums — and based on photos, uses it at times when speaking in his Peoria, Illinois, district.

USA Today reported last month that Schock spent $79,061 in federal money on furniture in 2009, and $5,123 of that went to Mulnix Industries, a firm that makes custom furniture for public speaking in a town 40 miles outside of Jefferson City, Missouri. Page 2563 of the 2010 Statement of Disbursements of the House of Representatives shows the outlay to Mulnix, but it doesn’t say exactly what the money purchased.

Schock’s office did not respond to USA Today about the expenditures. But multiple photos of Schock back home in his district — including this one taken March 6 by an AP photographer — show him standing behind The Presidential, a discontinued Mulnix model still listed in the company’s online catalog of “Standing Podiums.”

In an interview, Mulnix General Manager Phil Crane said it was “very likely” he sold a Presidential to Schock, though he said he’d have to laboriously go through old records to be sure. The model was pretty popular when Mulnix made it — the company sent four to the U.S. Consulate in Pretoria, South Africa — and Crane said it sold for “somewhere around” $5,000 a piece.

Even so, that’s pretty small potatoes.

* And this doesn’t appear to be against any Congressional rules…

After Rep. Aaron Schock R-Ill., dipped into a campaign fund to pay $73,896.96 for a Chevrolet Tahoe and put the SUV in his name, he later charged taxpayers for mileage, the Sun-Times has learned.

According to the latest House disbursement records, Schock was reimbursed $1,218 for what is listed in House records as “private mileage” between last Sept. 1 and Oct. 1. The money came from Schock’s taxpayer-funded House member allowance.

The car is registered to the Peoria lawmaker, according to Illinois Secretary of State vehicle records, obtained by the Sun-Times through a Freedom of Information Act request. […]

The House Ethics Manual does not appear to address the issue of charging taxpayers for mileage when a campaign-purchased vehicle registered in the name of the lawmaker is used for official House purposes.

As long as those expenses were legit, no likely problem.

But there would be a problem if he didn’t reimburse the campaign committee for personal use of the vehicle…

However, when a member drives a vehicle paid for from campaign funds for personal purposes, the House Ethics Manual notes that Federal Election Commission regulations call for reimbursement to be made within 30 days from personal funds.

…Adding… Sun-Times…

In the wake of stories raising questions about Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., spending of taxpayer and campaign money, the Office of Congressional Ethics has begun to make inquiries, the Sun-Times has learned.

A spokesman for the OCE told the Sun-Times on Monday morning the organization will decline to comment on any Schock probe. The OCE can independently open investigations and does not need to be asked by a person or any entity to launch a probe.

A Schock spokesman so far has not responded to questions about the OCE. Under OCE rules, a subject of an investigation does get notified.

The OCE is an independent, non-partisan organization which reviews allegations of misconduct against House members. The OCE has no power to sanction a member and after its investigations refers matters to the House Committee on Ethics, which then continues with its own probe.

That could be the least of his potential worries.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:40 pm

Comments

Looks more presidential. Makes it easier to fleece the rubes.

Comment by The Drummer Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:41 pm
Frankly, it would surprise me if Schock EVER had any “personal use” of a vehicle. He seems to have defined his entire life as one big CongressPalooza.

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:42 pm
With the OCE, lawyer up, see what they have questions about, prepare for a possible knock on the door, and don’t have conflicting “memories”.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:45 pm
That is one sweet podium!!

Comment by siriusly Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:49 pm
This is becoming Whack-A-Mole.

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:05 pm
The drip may be slowing down, but the hounds are on the case now.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:10 pm
75 grand for a Chevrolet that is not a ZO6? Is it bulletproof or something?

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:11 pm
This is what you would call an ‘up’ day for the congressman.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:11 pm
Of all the things his campaign could’ve purchased, why didn’t he have his campaign staff purchase a vehicle? That’s the way to go. It’s an allowable expense and it allows MOCs to travel the district and not have to reimburse for mileage and/or not force staff to use their vehicles. That’s a pretty basic oversight.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:13 pm
Never mind - I read that wrong. Sorry.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:17 pm
Ducky - My thought exactly. Looks like a whole day without a potentially indictable offense or violation of House rules. Makes me think the powers behind this extraordinary campaign against the Young Congressman have their energies focused on preparing the knockout blow. This saga isn’t going to drip forever.

Comment by And I Approved This Message Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:20 pm
“Sock it to…me?”*

*(Richard M. Nixon, on “Laugh-In”)

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:22 pm
And Ducky - I got the Rod referencd!

Comment by And I Approved This Message Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:24 pm
I guess while all these media sharpies are digging into Schock’s $5000 podium, they are choosing to ignore Mr’ & Mrs Obama’s SEPARATE trips to California on the same day last week to do TV shows. Or the over $3.5 Million it cost just for Air Force One to fly them to Hawaii for their Christmas vacay… That doesn’t include all the costs of transporting support staff and vehicles etc.

Comment by BehindTheScenes Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:31 pm
BehindtheScenes with the win.

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:35 pm
@ BehindTheScenes 4:31pm –

Bad form. You’re leaving out Benghazi and the birth certificate.

Comment by olddog Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:38 pm
Both are at issue.

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:43 pm
Behindthescenes with the MAJOR win!!

Comment by anon Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:44 pm
He couldn’t find a podium made in Illinois?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:52 pm
If BehindTheScenes can just get the word out, Obama will never get re-re-elected!!1 I know no one in my family will EVER cast ballot for him to be president again!!1!

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:57 pm
BehindTheScenes — Don’t worry. The White House is saving money on all the Secret Service agents and supervisors they’ve had to fire recently.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:03 pm
BehindtheScenes:

You miss one point: One guy likes to travel like the President with an entourage of staffers to New York, the other guy actually is the President.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:07 pm
Schock is also in the wrong on his stuff; both politicians have abused the public trust.

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:10 pm
Are there any politicians serving the public and not themselves?

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:12 pm
– Page 2563 of the 2010 Statement of Disbursements of the the House of Representatives shows….–

Hey, how about a SPOILER ALERT next time?

I just got to Page 1946 of the 2010 Statement of Disbursements of the House of Representatives!

The clearest single item, to date, that someone who used to be way on the inside is participating in tuning up Schock.

There’s not a reporter in the world who would dig so deep for something as silly as a podium expense.

Like many of the other stories, this one was served up on a platter with the assistance of a former employee.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:35 pm
YDD- Priceless!!!!

FYI- The Obama’s are not the first Presidential family to take Airforce One on vacation!!! Shocking as that may be they kind off have to. presidential travel is insanely expensive and has been for the last century.

Sort of different from a congressman, no?

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:36 pm
Behindtthescenes: When you’re the president, you get to roll like a president. You think Bush flew coach??

Comment by Politix Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:40 pm
LOVE the discussion about the President and travel. Because we all know, they are just free to pick up and fly commercial if they so choose.

I mean, the car, the plane…pfft. They can do what they want, when they want, and where.

As if. They are so far removed from the logistics of the travel, and even if they are in the weeds, they don’t dictate security protocol.

Comment by How Ironic Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:47 pm
Inside job, then. Lots of folks thought otherwise past few days.

Comment by The Levee Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:48 pm
Levee, it’s a well-funded, contracted outside job with a great deal of insider assistance.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:10 pm
Wow, I feel like I learned an awful lot about the trivia of podiums today.

Comment by Educated in the Suburbs Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:32 pm
Ok for the Prez and wife to waste massive amounts of taxpayer money but not others. Got it!

Comment by anonano Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 7:16 pm
Some of you are hopeless.

Do you really think you’re doing Schock any favors by comparing his spending in office to that of a president — any president?

With friends like you……

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 7:35 pm
The point here, this president isn’t entitled to this kind of spending, yet white, well to do Republican congressmen are? Tsk, your true colors are showing.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 7:49 pm
==a well-funded, contracted outside job==
Somebody want to enlighten me about who has so much to gain by taking down Schock? I mean, he’s my congressman and isn’t qualified to be student council president, but there are a lot of those these days. Maybe there always were. Who gains by this? Still a pretty strong GOP district, right?

Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:06 pm
It’s starting to sound as if he thinks he’s living life as some kind of character in a movie. I half expect to see some outlandish prop like the vehicle for “The Big Bus” show up.

Comment by Angry Chicagoan Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:27 pm
Excessively, a well funded effort isn’t behind this, just some investigative reporting into public records and connecting the dots. This guy served up his abuse of office on a silver platter. This is not typical behavior by a member of Congress. Most Members know this is wrong.

Comment by Truthteller Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:27 pm
Truthteller, you’re a laugh riot.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:29 pm
== You miss one point: One guy likes to travel like the President with an entourage of staffers to New York, the other guy actually is the President. ==

But the guy who IS President doesn’t travel like a President; he travels like a 0.01% rock star.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:45 pm
This is not typical behavior by a member of Congress. Most Members know are better at the paperwork for hiding it.

There … it’s fixed.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:47 pm
Why compare him to POTUS he is not even really HGOP Leadership he should be compared to other similarly situated Illinois Congressman and he will be in his next campaign if he makes it that far

Comment by Annon3 Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 9:00 pm
To the article, Schock should have bought “The Toast” because he is.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 10:07 pm
Turthteller is correct. The over-the-top flamboyant rock star fiscal conservative wunderkind Schock screams, through his actions, “Watch me, watch me, I am a celebrity congressman!” He reminds me of Sarah Palin, only prettier.

Comment by illinoised Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 7:36 am
All of these expenditures, thru the years, amount to about 1/1000 of a single CA trip by the prez and wife. Taxpayer money!!

Just sayin!

Comment by anon Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 8:28 am
anon, you are mixing apples and oranges, as well as ignoring the ethical implications of Schock’s actions.

Comment by illinoised Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 8:39 am
As I thought all along… Somebody that was in the inner circle was a helper… No doubt now.

Comment by Walter Mitty Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 9:24 am