Charges officially dropped against ex-U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock in unusual deal with feds

[TexasTowelie]

Six months after striking a rare deal with prosecutors, former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock on Wednesday was officially cleared of criminal charges alleging he used his campaign funds as a private piggy bank.

Completing what’s known as a deferred prosecution, federal prosecutors in Chicago dropped all charges against Schock after he completed a probationary period where he stayed out of trouble and paid back $68,000 to his congressional campaign funds that he’d used for personal expenses.

Schock, of Peoria, was also required to work out a plan to pay back taxes to the IRS.

The brief hearing before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly completed a stunning turn of events for Schock and cemented a deal virtually unheard of in a high-profile corruption case.

Read more: https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190904/charges-officially-dropped-against-ex-us-rep-aaron-schock-in-unusual-deal-with-feds
(Springfield State Journal Register)

[mikeysnot]

1. 2 america's

[Thekaspervote]

3. This!

[Atticus]

2. IOKIYAR. nt

[extvbroadcaster]

4. I met Schock a few times

No surprise that he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But he did it right, disappeared, ran lawyers at the problems and finally has gotten himself off the hook. The ironic part is that when he was in office everybody assumed you would never get him out. He was going to be in Congress for years and years. Darin LaHood took his seat, and now it is the same thing. Darin held a town hall once and I went to it. At least half the questions were about Obamacare. Nobody wanted to get rid of it, everybody wanted it fixed. LaHood did a big song and dance and then of course votes with Trump 100% of the time. So getting Schock out was an opportunity to get a better Congressman, and sadly Peoria got the same old thing. LaHood goes along with the GOP 100%, and nothing is going to get him out of Congress either. He's going to be there forever. It is the way the district is drawn, no Democrat has won in over 100 years.

[riversedge]

5. He is free to run for office again with NO criminal record.

[TexasTowelie]

6. I agree that is a problem.

That was a sweetheart deal in so many respects. Other than having to pay back the money, Schock didn't face any significant repercussions.

[alwaysinasnit]

7. Do you think there is a possibility that Reps. Hunter and Collins will get the same kid-glove

treatment?