The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from former GOP congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) to dismiss a lower court's criminal indictment against him on corruption charges including filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, submitting false reports to the FEC, false statements, and theft of government funds, defrauding the government of more than $100,000.
USA Today: “The justices refused to hear his case after two lower federal courts denied his effort. Schock, now 37, claims his misdeeds can be considered only by the House, not the courts.”
Politico reports: ‘Eight of the justices offered no written explanation for the decision turning down the former congressman's petition, but Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed a two-page statement concurring with her colleagues while expressing concern about one of the issues Schock's lawyers raised.'
Schock has been trying to get the charges, which originally numbered 24, thrown out for years.
In August 2017, Schock's lawyers asked for the case to be dismissed because, according to the attorneys, witnesses were asked “distasteful, offensive,” and “prejudicial” questions about every part of Schock's sex life including whether he is gay and if his girlfriend was a beard. The lawyers accused investigators of “prosecutorial misconduct on a variety of grounds” over the invasive questions and asked for the case to be dismissed.
Schock's troubles began when photos of his Downton Abbey-inspired congressional office leaked and it was then discovered that he illegally accepted a designer's services for free.
In March of 2015, the FBI began an investigation into Schock's spending habits, an investigation that ultimately revealed “untoward allegations” about Schock that would damage his reputation, according to his lawyers. Schock faces a 24-count indictment for filing false tax returns and covering up fraud schemes, and using government and campaign funds improperly.
The disgraced anti-gay Illinois lawmaker resigned from his seat in 2015 after questions arose about his alleged misuse of funds.
