The scandal-ridden former Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL) appears to be preparing to run for office again.
Schock served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 2009 to 2015, when he resigned in disgrace after being accused of misusing campaign and public funds. He was the subject of a congressional ethics investigation and was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Federal prosecutors dropped charges earlier this year in exchange for paying $110,000 in restitution and taxes.
He has also been photographed making out with a man in public while putting his hand down the man’s shorts… but Schock is not openly gay.
A Statement of Organization was filed last week with the Federal Election Commission for the “Schock for Congress” campaign. Schock is listed as the campaign treasurer, even though the campaign has no funds, according to a separate filing.
When charges were dropped earlier this year, Schock said that he wouldn’t rule out another Congressional run.
“At 37 years old, I don’t think I’ll ever say never,” he told CBS News. He has “enjoyed being out of politics the last four years,” he added.
And “enjoyed” is an understatement. This past May, he was spotted chatting up muscle boys in swim briefs at the Standard Hotel in West Hollywood.
In April, he appeared shirtless in a photo with several other gay men at Coachella and he was later photographed making out with a shirtless man as he put a hand down the front of the man’s shorts.
But when Schock was in Congress, he put his Republican principles before LGBTQ people’s well-being. He consistently got a score of “0” on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard.
He voted against repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (which banned out LGB people from serving in the military), repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (which banned the federal government from recognizing marriage equality), and adding sexual orientation and gender identity to federal hate crimes legislation. He also refused to co-sponsor the Equality Act while in Congress.
Schock has not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication. He has not publicly confirmed that he is running for office again.
