House probe of Schock donation request advances
BY LYNN SWEET December 15, 2012 2:16AM
Republican Congressman Aaron Schock of Illinois smiles during an interview with AFP at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on August 28, 2012 during the Republican National Convention. FILE. AFP PHOTO Brigitte DUSSEAUBRIGITTE DUSSEAU/AFP/GettyImages
Updated: December 15, 2012 6:31PM
WASHINGTON — A House ethics probe of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) — who is mulling a GOP primary bid for governor in 2013 — advanced on Friday over whether Schock improperly solicited a SuperPAC donation.
The House Committee on Ethics said in a statement Friday that it would decide its “course of action” with Schock by Jan. 28, 2013.
Schock told the Peoria Journal-Star on Friday that “we feel confident that I didn’t do anything wrong,” with the first phase of the probe dating back to the summer.
While the panel did not disclose what was at issue, Schock told the paper—and other outlets since the inquiry started earlier this year — that at issue is whether any campaign finance rules were violated when he asked House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) for a $25,000 donation to the Campaign for Primary Accountability SuperPAC.
That SuperPAC was backing Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) against Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) in the March Illinois primary, which Kinzinger won.
