Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) used more than $10,000 in taxpayers’ money to bring at least 10 staffers on a trip to New York in September that involved almost no official work, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The trip coincided with a U.S. visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, so it is possible that staff assisted Schock with those appearances. But none of the other Illinois lawmakers who traveled to the speech brought staff with them for Modi’s events and they charged taxpayers about $1,800 between the three of them, according to the Sun-Times. (One of those lawmakers, Rep Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) had one staffer join him for a meeting related to his role on the House Financial Services Committee.)
Schock also attended the Global Citizen Festival concert that weekend and helped organize Modi’s speech at the event. He used $3,000 from his campaign funds to pay for more than a dozen tickets to that event. The Sun-Times notes that Caterpillar Inc., the multi-billion dollar construction company based in Schock’s district, has many manufacturing sites in India.
{mosads}“Schock believes international trade, including trade with India, benefits the many hard working families in his district and across the country by providing quality jobs that help families make ends meet during these difficult economic times,” a Schock spokesman told the paper by email.
“India is a significant economic partner of the United States, and the Congressman felt it was important to further that relationship by playing a constructive role during Prime Minister Modi’s event in New York as part of the Prime Minister’s inaugural trip to the United States. In light of the importance of these events, a number of Congressman Schock’s staff were present during the trip,” the spokesman said.”
This is the latest spending controversy surrounding the up-and-coming young lawmaker, which began with the discovery that he had his Congressional office ornately decorated for free. He’s since repaid the designer, but analysis of his spending by multiple news outlets has shown he used taxpayer or campaign funds for more than $100,000 in office renovations and tens of thousands of dollars on charter flights and concert tickets.
Schock, 33, is one of the youngest lawmakers in the House and received significant notoriety after appearing shirtless on the cover of Men’s Health magazine. He’s also well respected by Republican leadership, serving on the Ways and Means committee and as Senior Deputy Whip.
Schock briefly addressed the controversy during a surprise news conference on Friday. He announced that he’s hiring a CPA firm to add “an additional layer of oversights.”
“I know that when I take a trip, and I post photos online, it can create the misimpression of being out of touch, or an image that is not worthy of my constituents,” he said, according to the Peoria Journal Star. “I have tried to balance being a young congressman and doing things differently and more open with maintaining a level of seriousness on the issues of the day. I know some days I have failed at this.”