Former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Schock was scheduled to appear in court for the first time since the U.S. Supreme Court declined to get involved in his corruption case. (Ashlee Rezin / Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — Former Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois agreed Wednesday to repay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes and to campaign committees in exchange for prosecutors dismissing his felony corruption case.
During an appearance in Chicago federal court, Schock agreed to repay his three campaign committees nearly $68,000. He must work with the Internal Revenue Service to determine how much he owes in taxes. If he holds up his part of the deal, prosecutors within six months will drop the original felony counts that were filed against him.
Schock resigned from Congress in 2015 amid scrutiny of his spending, including redecorating his office in the style of the “Downton Abbey” TV series. He was indicted in 2016 on 22 counts, including wire fraud and falsification of election commission filings. The case was originally filed in central Illinois. The Justice Department transferred it to prosecutors in Chicago last year.
Schock admitted in court to purchasing Super Bowl and World Series tickets at face value and selling them for a profit of more than $42,000. He also admitted submitting mileage reimbursements without documentation.
Schock said he made mistakes, such as poor record keeping, but said they weren’t crimes. He said “part of that was because I was working my tail off” representing a large congressional district that includes more than 200 communities.
Defense attorney George Terwilliger said the case had a just outcome.
“It began as a bang,” Terwilliger told reporters. “That bang turned out to be a blank. Now it’s ending with a whimper.”
Prosecutor Erik Hogstrom called it “a fair and sensible resolution.”
Asked about what his future holds and whether he will run for public office again, Schock didn’t say yes or no. He said he’s looking forward to having the weight of this case off his chest and having a private life.
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