Former Congressman Schock asks court to drop 1 charge

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Former Congressman Schock asks court to drop 1 charge
Updated 4:27 pm, Saturday, May 6, 2017


PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Attorneys for former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock have asked a judge to drop a charge against him, saying it's too broad.

Schock's attorneys in a motion filed Friday say a charge alleging theft of government funds contains too many allegations, makes it too difficult to prepare for trial, and is therefore improper. They say prosecutors have bundled "five years' worth of alleged thefts into a single count."

The (Peoria) Journal Star (http://bit.ly/2qCqZqU ) reports U.S. District Judge Colin Bruce gave prosecutors until May 29 to respond to the motion. Schock's trial is set to begin July 10.

Schock's indictment last year alleges he sought reimbursement in government funds for lavish spending. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which also include wire fraud and falsification of election commission filings.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Former-Congressman-Schock-asks-court-to-drop-1-11126765.php

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[burrowowl]

1. Just one!

How many charges are there?

[Judi Lynn]

3. Here's an earlier story:

AP November 10, 2016, 3:09 PM
Ex-Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois indicted by federal grand jury

Last Updated Nov 10, 2016 4:49 PM EST

PEORIA, Ill. -- The Illinois congressman who resigned amid scrutiny of lavish spending - including remodeling his Capitol Hill office in the style of the television series “Downton Abbey” - was indicted Thursday on 24 federal counts ranging from theft of government funds to filing false federal income tax returns.

The 52-page indictment alleges that Aaron Schock spent $40,000 in government funds to redecorate his Washington office, including $5,000 on a chandelier, and asked the House to reimburse him for nearly $30,000 worth of camera equipment. It also accuses him of running up a $140,000 mileage tab over six years, reimbursements for 150,000 more miles than his vehicles actually traveled.

The 35-year-old Republican from Peoria is charged with nine counts of wire fraud, five of falsification of election commission filings, six of filing false federal income tax returns, two of making false statements and one each of mail fraud and theft of government funds. A conviction on just one count of wire fraud alone carries a maximum 20 year prison sentence.

“Mr. Schock held public office at the time of the alleged offenses, but public office does not exempt him or anyone else from accountability for alleged intentional misuse of public funds and campaign funds,” the U.S. attorney in Springfield, Jim Lewis, said in a statement announcing the indictment.

More:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/aaron-schock-illinois-indicted-federal-grand-jury/

[murielm99]

4. These same charges should apply to trump.

[tecelote]

6. Wow!

"...but public office does not exempt him or anyone else from accountability..."

News to me.

[lostnfound]

10. Isn't it odd how they don't identify his political party in the newer article?

Seems to be a pattern.

[dchill]

2. Sucks to be him, I gather.

[pkdu]

5. No - how about we charge you separately for each and every charge - consecutively ? nt

[briv1016]

7. He's already been indited. If they drop the charge now they cant re-charge him on separate counts.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. Why not?

[briv1016]

11. Double Jeopardy.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. I'm pretty sure a person is not in jeopardy untill they go on trial.

[briv1016]

13. I'm admitidly not a lawyer.

If you are, I cede to you. Otherwise maybe someone with legal expertise can chime in.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. I'm not a lawyer either. But I watched Matlock.

[clementine613]

15. The above poster is correct.

Jeopardy does not attach until the jury is impaneled.

[haele]

8. Just waiting for Duncan Hunter Jr. to join him in front of a judge.

Mr. "Oops, government credit card looked just like our personal credit card..."

Haele...

[clementine613]

16. He's a Rethug. Throw him in jail for life.