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Legal fees, luxury hotels and donor gifts disclosed by Schock

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* The Tribune took a look at former Congressman Aaron Schock’s quarterly fundraising report…

The campaign racked up $313,920 in legal fees during the first quarter, money still owed to the Jones Day law firm in Washington. […]

During the first quarter, his campaign incurred bills for “fundraising lodging,” including $4,000 paid to the White Elephant hotel in Nantucket, Mass., $2,137 to the Langham hotel in Chicago and $716 to the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa.

The report says the campaign paid $3,114 for Tiffany bowls for the donors, but even more, $3,408, to Garrett Popcorn in Chicago for volunteer gifts.

Other spending included $2,698 to photographer Jonathon Link, who traveled widely with Schock, and $3,705 in salary to staffer Shea Ledford, who reportedly accompanied Schock on a trip to London during the Royal Ascot in 2011.

* Phil Rogers…

Another of the congressman’s accounts, the Schock Victory Committee, listed hotel stays at the New York Palace and Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, and more than $12,000 in additional American Express expenses. He also transferred more than $81,000 to his own Pac, the Generation-Y fund. The reports for that committee have not yet been filed.

* Politico…

In the first quarter, Schock raised nearly $130,000. Chicago billionaire Sam Zell gave Schock $2,500 on Feb. 12. Both William Stone and Albert Lord donated to Schock. Stone owns a Maryland golf course that Schock held a fundraiser on in the fall of 2014. Lord founded that private course. Schock never reported the cost of that fundraiser on campaign filings.

* Other stuff…

* Election expert: Lawsuit against Aaron Schock could face obstacles

* Sangamon Co. Will Not Ask Schock To Foot Election Bill

* District offices remain open despite Schock’s resignation

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:28 am

Comments

Gov. Bruce Rauner has advised Aaron Schock to just declare bankruptcy…

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:32 am
The lavish expenses are “schocking”.

As is the fact so much $ now exists in politics that such expenses have become an afterthought for many more than just Schock.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:40 am
- MrJM - wins.

That’s really good.

To the Post,

When Rich wrote about Schock, running in wealthy circles, trying to, I guess, keep up, be one of them, it reminded me of Robert Duvall in “The Paper”, and understanding who you are, and who you aren’t;

“In ‘68, a bunch of us went to cover the Olympics in Grenoble. Decided to go to the best restaurant in town. Now, the menu didn’t have any prices, but we were all on expense accounts so we figured, whatever, got drunk. Well, somehow there ended up being, I don’t know, fifteen or sixteen of us at the table, and when the check came - ooooo, it was nine thousand dollars…Yeah…So, now we’re all starting to point fingers, we’re trying to figure out who invited who. And just when it was starting to get really embarrassing, this funny-lookin’ old guy at the next table calls the maitre-d over… Ehhhh, he did a couple of squiggly lines on a napkin, signed his name, winked at us - that was it. The old guy was Pablo Picasso, and that napkin paid our bill.

Well, the people we cover - we move in their world but it is their world. You can’t live like them, you’ll never keep up. Now, if you try and make this job about the money, you’ll be nothing but miserable, ’cause we don’t get the money - never have, never will.”

Schock forgot, he’s not in those circles, he was visiting those circles.

Big difference.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:50 am
An orgy of irresponsibilities. No way such an individual could have any balanced sense of oversight over our federal government. He was a congressman like Ferris Bueller was a high school student.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:52 am
Ferris Bueller - that’s awesome - good one VM!

“Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism’s in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, “I don’t believe in Beatles, I just believe in me.” Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I’d still have to bum rides off people. ” - Ferris Bueller Schock

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:21 am
What a public servant…

Comment by Mouthy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:23 am
What was he thinking?

Comment by Not it Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:25 am
This guy really got caught up in the game. It’s hard to watch this. Hope this teaches a lesson to so many more than one guy. Sad.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:26 am
Hoisted by his own petard.

Comment by Arnold Ziffle Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:32 am
Good to be Jones Day; $313K and it’s just getting started.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:38 am
Does anyone doubt that a great number of public officials have similar expense reports

Comment by Sue Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:51 am
I’d give him a pass if he bought the occasional pair of Bears tickets or tickets to a Cubs-Cards series. I’d look the other way if he’d stayed at the Palmer House a few times. It’s not a big deal for him to rent a hall at Disney World for a fundraiser. But this other stuff? Wow. Opulence is the word that comes to mind.

Sue - maybe. But in my experience, it’s much more “realistic” (i.e. buying campaign friends White House ornaments or a night at the Hampton Inn). Some of this is just so superfluous. It’s almost like comparing two 8 year old boys who get $100 in allowance. One spends it all on the newest Lego set. The other buys a couple of small toys and couches the rest for later. Are either “against the rules”? No. But the kids who doesn’t blow all the cash at once looks a lot better than the kids who’s left with nothing.

And you can’t compare this to Madigan or Cullerton buying suites at the White Sox or Cubs games. State campaign finance law is much different.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 12:08 pm
Asking for money, then spend it to ask for more money. Repeat ad infinitum. Occasionally insert campaign.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 12:23 pm
MrJM, OW- with great respect- two of the most apropos responses I have read on this blog. Ever.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 1:18 pm
These kinds of disclosures remove any doubt that Schock’s problems stem from “mistakes” or “oversights” or just plain sloppy accounting.

High living is a choice, like most other things. How can you be conservative in politics but not conservative in spending money?

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 1:41 pm
OW–Excellent.

Have nothing to add about Schock after reading your post. Thanks!

Comment by In the Middle Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 1:52 pm
- JS Mill - and - In the Middle -, thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 2:26 pm
Oswego Willy, do you have a blog?

Comment by AJ_yooper Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 3:11 pm
AJ, yes he does. This one.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 3:22 pm
I do not.

I can speak for myself, - A Guy -. Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 3:24 pm
- AJ_yooper -,

Hope to see more of you here.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 7:18 pm