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* The AP looks at a questionable Aaron Schock campaign committee mileage reimbursement…
The political director of Schock for Congress, Karen McDonald Haney, received a payment of $4,755.40 on Dec. 20, 2014, labeled “mileage reimbursement” on campaign finance forms filed with the Federal Election Commission.
That payment to Haney, who also is a former political reporter at the Peoria Journal Star, is far larger than any of the travel reimbursements she was paid in February, March, April, July, August, September and October of last year, or four others recorded in September, November and December of 2013. The largest of those checks was $478.80, and appeared to cover all time between Dec. 18, 2013, and Feb. 21, 2014. […]
Travel to some political functions throughout the sprawling, 19-county district was standard with the position.
However, at the standard IRS mileage rate of 56.5 cents per mile in 2014, Haney’s December payment equates to 8,491.78 miles traveled — one-third of the circumference of the Earth. It equates to 157.25 miles per day, assuming she traveled on each of the 54 days between her Oct. 28 payment and the Dec. 20 check, including the Thanksgiving holiday.
That amount actually exceeds the amount on all checks labeled mileage on Schock for Congress disbursement records filed with the FEC for 2012 and 2013 combined, for all campaign staff. Those years together added up to $3,652.86. It also dwarfs the $1,996.51 Haney received in mileage reimbursements for the remainder of 2014.
Oof.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:08 am
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== 157.25 miles per day==
That would be roughly a round trip between Peoria area and a Springfield each day. Possible, but not likely.
Comment by Anonymoiis Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:13 am
I’m surprised they didn’t make round trips to Washington driving their cars on weekends. That would have made for some mighty impressive reimbursement checks..
Comment by Mouthy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:17 am
Perhaps the real amount was $475.40 and the extra “5″ was an input error. Unless the AP can confirm she deposited a check for 4,755.40, this story is unnecessary sensationalism.
Comment by benefit of the doubt Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:17 am
Math.
Former Congressman Schock was told there would be no math in his milage reimbursements.
It was reported Schock hired 2 new lawyers too, to “assist”, part of a team, whatever.
Avoiding a trial, if they indict, would help, you know, if things don’t add up…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:17 am
Will never understand the thought processes at work in these cases.
You have a sweet, lucrative, safe gig, and you blow it, plus bring the FBI and IRS down on you, for beer money?
Never heard of risk/reward?
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:18 am
I was assigned to a race once that was near my home. Instead of a hotel room, they asked if I would just stay home and drive each day, about 70 miles one way. Between that and standard travel I was doing 200 miles a day for about 3 months straight. I am not sure I had that much in mileage back from the party!
Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:19 am
I have been trying to give former Congressman Schock and his staff some benefit of the doubt on a lot of this issues. After all, several downstate Congressional districts are large. For cripes’s sake: Congressman Shimkus has 33 counties, and it takes 5 hours to get from Hoopeston to Metropolis! I wonder if this is more legit than people realize. For example, the total mileage from Peoria to Quincy is 257 miles round trip - and that is just the distance to and from. That does not include any stops along the way or side trips. Peoria to Springfield is even 145 miles round trip. I am not defending Karen’s actions - and someone above her on the Schock food chain should have perhaps stopped her - but it is plausible.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:26 am
157.25 miles per day. That’s about the distance between Schock’s Springfield office and north Peoria.
Comment by Observation Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:27 am
Ground Control to Major Tom…. We’ve got an orbiter in Peoria. Ouch.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:29 am
Looks like a Christmas bonus!
Comment by Peoria Guy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:39 am
Ruh Roh!
Karen is going to quickly run through that mileage reimbursement in terms of billable hours. It’s not called “Jones Days, Nights & Weekends” for nothing!
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:50 am
“Are you kidding? Nobody ever checks this stuff…”
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:50 am
Karen McDonald Haney - isn’t she the reporter who covered Schock when he was elected to the Peoria School Board?
Comment by Anyone Rememer Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 9:59 am
If this reporting is accurate, Haney may soon become a synonym for “cooperating witness.”
Comment by Tim Bass Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:09 am
That’s going to leave a mark…
Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:13 am
I put on about 2500-3000 miles per month. And I live in Chicago but go to Springfield. She was doing only around 50% more than me so I don’t think that’s too out of whack for the size of his district.
Comment by Been There Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:13 am
Someone was out to get Schock. If mileage inaccuracies were his only problem he would report an “accounting error”, file an amended tax return and pay all taxes due plus penalty and interest. A lot more then padded mileage must be involved.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:27 am
Been There -
Yep, and when I was a Congressional staffer I would routinely put 2,000 miles on my car per month. It’s easy to do so.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:36 am
BOTD- since the take down started there have very few “typos” …. This will continue until the plea is entered or the trial begins.
Comment by Annon3 Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:38 am
I do know of people who have lived in Peoria and commuted to Springfield each day, and I would suspect the opposite is also true. Don’t want to go out and say that this is definitely legit, but it is possible that there is a reasonable explanation.
Comment by Juice Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:39 am
Blogsters should know all this in-depth math work by the PJS staffers is really ground breaking stuff. Remember this is the paper that once allowed a staffer (not Karen) to do a story quoting an unnamed, but allegedly living by stander who described the then state rep as “dreamey”
Let’s get the Pulitzer board on the horn.
Comment by Anonin' Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:22 am
The mileage automatically is increased in geometric leaps when one enters the chronosynclastic infundibulum.
Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:50 am
On many mileage reimbursement forms meals, lodging and sometimes other travel related expenses (rentals of equipment) are included if certain requirements are met. I wonder if there was travel along with a stay at a hotel and meals. If meals and lodging are included the total can climb fast.
Comment by who cares Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:56 am
Focusing on the trivia. There are bigger games afoot, involving 6 figures.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:57 am
From what I have read in the past, the reporter gave the hometown treatment of never questioning anything Schock did.
Now he’s trying to make up for last time. I wonder how many times the political reporter for the Journal Star asked Haney for tips? Now he scores a cheap hit on her with the 1/3 trip around the world remark.
How come he never added up how many times Schock’s reimbursements circled the globe?
Comment by Lost in Translation Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:51 pm