Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigns

Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigns


Republican Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois has announced his resignation amid questions about spending. In a statement on Tuesday, Schock said he would step down effective March 31. Schock, a four-term lawmaker, said he was taking the step with a "heavy heart." He said that questions about irregularities in his campaign finance and congressional spending accounts over the past six weeks have proven to be a "great distraction" and have made it too difficult for him to serve. Earlier this month, the 33-year-old congressman said he had hired a local accountant to review office procedures. Schock said the changes would "ensure compliance, orderly record keeping, and a system of checks and balances within each office."

The Associated Press found that Schock used campaign donors' private aircraft at least a dozen times since mid-2011, tracking his reliance on those flights through pictures uploaded to the congressman's Instagram account. The value of those flights was more than $40,000.

Schock said he had repaid $1,200 for a taxpayer-paid flight to Chicago in November to see a Bears football game.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-aaron-schock-resigns-20150317-story.html