Schock case reassigned to Urbana's Judge Colin Bruce

PEORIA - The federal corruption case against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock will now be in the courtroom of the district's newest judge, Colin Bruce.

Chief U.S. District Judge James Shadid assigned the case of the Peoria Republican to Bruce, a former U.S. attorney, in a simple, two-line text order. Bruce, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in October 2013, presides in Urbana.

The case was formerly in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough, who sits in Springfield. She recused herself after Schock's attorneys made claims that she could have a perceived bias against their client. Myerscough denied that, but also said the allegations created "a cloud over the Court continuing to preside in this case."

Schock, 35, was indicted in November on charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, making false statements, filing a false tax return, theft of government funds and falsification of Federal Election Commission filings. The charges allege a course of conduct that began when Schock was first elected to Congress in 2008 and continued until October 2015, about six months after he resigned from office. It's alleged that he stole more than $100,000 from the government and his campaign committees.

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