Fomrer U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock's motion for discovery had been denied by the U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, according to the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW).
The motion was submitted by Schock's lawyers in an effort to obtain further information regarding the FBI's use of a confidential informant (CI). Schock faces 24 criminal charges, ranging from wire fraud to theft of government funds to filing a false federal tax return.
The court determined that "there is simply no additional information concerning the use of the CI to which Defendant is entitled. As a result, the court finds that Defendant has not made the necessary showing that he is entitled to discovery in addition to the voluminous discovery already provided by the Government," according to a copy of the decision the ECW posted on its Illinois Leaks website.
U.S. Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL)
Schock became the youngest member of Congress when he was sworn into office in 2009. He ran for U.S. representative of the 18th Congressional District after serving two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Questions about Schock's spending arose in February 2015 when he had his congressional office redecorated. The Washington Post reported on the lavish décor, and in response, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint regarding the possibility of an improper gift. By March, reports of spending and disclosure irregularities surfaced. After Politico reported on Schock's allegedly falsified mileage reimbursements, he announced his resignation from office, effective March 31, 2015.
After a lengthy investigation, Schock was arraigned on Dec. 12, 2016. He pleaded not guilty to all 24 counts brought by the federal grand jury. His trial is set for July 11.
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