Schock As In Schlock
What does Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Downton Abbey) have in common with such diverse characters as Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, former House colleague Michael Grimm, former Israeli President Moshe Katsav and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert?
The 33-year-old Illinois Republican, who resigned from Congress today effective the end of the month, is the latest victim of self-inflicted wounds.
When it comes to helping his constituents, Shock is a tight-fisted fiscal conservative who votes for deep cuts in food stamps and opposes raising the minimum wage, but when it comes to taking care of Aaron, he's excessively generous with the taxpayers' money. He not only billed the government $40,000 to lavishly decorate his office in the style of the popular PBS Masterpiece hit show but he flew on private jets of businesses and traveled on the public dime even to the point of billing the government for driving 170,000 miles on a car that had only about 80,000 miles on the odometer.
He once had dreams of running for governor of Illinois. He won't make it but he might have a chance to follow in the footsteps of at least five men who did hold that office, including another former House member, Rod Blagojevich. They went from to state house in Springfield to the big house in Joliet.