Disgraced former congressman Aaron Schock’s lawyers are clapping back after accusing federal prosecutors of asking witnesses “distasteful, offensive,” and “prejudicial” questions about every part of Schock’s life, including whether he’s gay and if his ex-girlfriend was fake.
“The government has investigated nearly every facet of Mr. Schock’s professional, political, and personal life,” his lawyers allege in a recent court filing. “This even includes his sex life.”
Related: Totally-Not-Gay Aaron Schock Asks To Have Arraignment Rescheduled… So He Can Travel
The filing goes on to say that it’s “no secret” Shock’s sexual orientation has “long been speculative gossip,” but bringing it up in court is not appropriate or relevant to the case.
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“The government has discussed with witnesses whether Mr. Schock is gay, whether he really ‘dated’ his ex-girlfriend (a highly accomplished diplomat and attorney), and whether he spent the night or shared hotel rooms with her,” Shock’s lawyers say.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports:
Schock’s lawyers make the point that Schock’s sex life — whether gay or straight — is not germane and out of legal bounds, arguing investigators crossed a line with the “government’s inappropriate, irrelevant, and highly prejudicial questioning of witnesses about Mr. Schock’s sexual orientation and romantic relationships.”
Moreover, “The government’s apparent obsession with Mr. Schock’s sexuality and whether he “dated” Karla Gonzalez was fueled from the very first conversation with the government’s confidential informant,” Schock’s defense team argued.
Gay rumors have followed the 36-year-old former congressman for years and seem to stem from a 2010 photograph of him wearing a pink checkered shirt, white pants, and a turquoise belt.
Schock is scheduled to stand trial before a federal court judge in January 2018. He is accused of misusing political and government funds to pay for cars, mileage reimbursements, interior decorating expenses, a chartered flight to a Bears game, Katy Perry concert tickets, and sports tickets he resold for profit, among other things.
Related: Aaron Schock Spotted Sipping Cocktails With Another Man At Romantic DC Hot Spot
The 24-count indictment also accuses Schock of filing false tax returns and creating fake invoices and false statements to cover up his alleged fraud scheme. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars.
DCguy
Three things.
1. His sex life IS germane to the case if he was spending money on people he was sleeping with.
2. The only people who go into freak out mode by any questions about their sexuality are closet cases.
3. So he was stealing money and laundering it. Just GOP business as usual.
ChrisK
That’s what I was thinking. Some of those charges could be used against most of the GOP as well.
jheryn
One of the allegations is that he spent flight and concert money for a non-employee, his “photographer” with which he had a “close relationship with.” That photog became an official employee after a trip Schock took with him and some staffers.
So if there was a sexual relationship between the two, it is most certainly germane to the case.
anthony_jones
….It’s relevant because much of the tax payers money was spent on hiring and gifts to his BF, the other 2 GOP closet cases, Both from the Midwest and and the 2nd Ohio pretty boy law maker aren’t stupid enough to be caught by TMZ coming out of adult book stores.
drmiller
I’m not a huge fan of this dude, but if what they’re saying is true, I have to agree. Is sexual orientation is irrelevant to the case at hand. Unless he used public funds for male escorts, they really should drop that nonsense. Another perfect example of societal witch hunts for folks’ sexual preferences. Totally unimportant.
Donston
The point of trying to out him is to show that the life he presented to the public was fraudulent, hinting a willingness to deceive and possible thieve. And yes, I know most closet cases and people who have beards aren’t thieves. But once you get caught up in things like this anything is up for grabs. They’re also trying to allude that he potentially spent tax payers’ money of call boys and side pieces. This is what lawyers do.
RoughRugger
The relevance is that he was spending campaign funds & his expense account moneys on “staff” and others that, to appearances, were not staff, but people he was dating. His sexuality comes into play because the “staff” were male and he’s alleging that “Oh, I’m straight, so they could ONLY have been staff.” Doesn’t matter whether they were escorts or not…you can’t spend campaign/public funds buying gifts & paying for luxury trips for random bf/gf’s.
steve_michaels
Interior decorating – Katy Perry tickets —- ’nuff said
Brody
I suspect that if Schock were a Democrat and not a Republican, this article (and its commenters) would be much more critical of his sexual orientation being brought into question in a case that has nothing to do with sexual orientation (does the word homophobia occur to anyone?), but since he’s of the party of Trump, I guess nothing but his complete ruin will suffice.
As Trump would say: Sad!
ChrisK
Because one side is made up of lying hypocrites while the other most of the times isn’t. Most of the time people just don’t care in that case. Big difference.
DCguy
Hey Mo Bro,
We get it, an article about a GOP politician stealing and laundering money is hitting too close to home for you right now, but try to give up your reliance on playing the little Republican victim.
Two things, First, if Schock were a Democrat it’s far less likely he would BE in the closet. The democrats don’t have a platform plank stating flat out they are opposed to lgbt rights.
Oh, and secondly, he stole tax money and spent it on a suspected boyfriend, who he slept with is absolutely relevant to the case.
Wow, this new screename of Brody isn’t any brighter or better at trolling than your last few (Mo Bro, BJ McFrisky)
RoughRugger
If Schock were a Dem, was being accused of spending campaign/public funds on an alleged boyfriend, and was denying it based on “I’m not gay!” then his sexuality would be absolutely relevant & absolutely fair game for prosecutors to delve into.
Brody
DC guy, you’re a bona fide wackadoodle wearing a schizo skirt and drinking paranoia tea.
Consider me entertained by your antics.
ChrisK
Look at Eliot spitzer and Anthony Weiner. Both were democrats.
seaguy
Whatever! Anyone quoting Trump is going to be just as delusional as Trump himself.
kcguy
No question he is gay.
Aaron
Oh honey, the rumors didn’t start from the pink shirt, the rumors were there long before when he was using the DC Log Cabin Republican chapter as his personal down low hook-up outlet.
ProfessorMoriarty
Aaron? Is that… **you**??!
😉
Aaron
Well I did live in Peoria for a while…
Kris
Ooooooo gurl’s gonna be soooooo popular in prison! Sounds like typical repuglican behaviour though, that would be applauded by this administration…
Captain Obvious
I love a good gaydar flexing… not that you need to with him. But gay witch hunts and going on about it for months is just gross.
DCguy
Part of the case is about him spending stolen tax dollars on his boyfriend. Those are legitimate questions.
seaguy
Gay rumors have followed the 36-year-old former congressman for years and seem to stem from a 2010 photograph of him wearing a pink checkered shirt, white pants, and a turquoise belt.
Well he sure did things to keep fueling those rumors with his shirtless men’s health cover.
ivanw222
His sexual orientation, and what he may or may not have been doing with his photographer is not revelant. However, spending money on him, travel, hotels, food, events, that he illegally got would be an issue.
Tombear
I wonder if Aaron is a top or power bottom!