US House lawyer: Feds illegally took Schock’s ‘property’

Posted on April 28, 2017

U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock resigned in 2015 amid a federal investigation. (WJBC file photo)

By Eric Stock and WMBD-TV

SPRINGFIELD – An attorney for the U.S. House of Representatives filed a letter Thursday, claiming the federal government broke the law as it tried to build a criminal case against ex-Congressman Aaron Shock.

According to news partner WMBD-TV, Thomas Hungar said in the court filing U.S. Attorney Patrick Hansen’s office had its confidential informant illegally take and distribute emails while working in Schock’s office. Hungar said those emails were Schock’s property and the office employees “have no lawful authority to remove official records from that office or to disclose them to third parties, including law enforcement.”

Hungar also said federal law enforcement agents committed a federal crime by asking the informant to take official records that didn’t belong to him or her.

Hungar added the informant recorded conversations with then-Rep. Schock. While recording conversations is legal in some circumstances involving law enforcement, Hungar says the recordings may have violated Schock’s rights under the Speech and Debate Clause.

Also Thursday, the government filed a motion to extend the amount of time allowed to respond to Schock’s attorneys’ request to dismiss the indictment. That request was originally on April 20 with a deadline to respond by May 4.

The Peoria Republican awaits a July 11 trial date on charges he filed false income tax returns and misused government and campaign funds. He resigned from his U.S. House seat in 2015 amid the federal probe. He was indicted last year.

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