The big story now is that Aaron Schock notarized back-dated documents for his father seven years ago. The story states that neither “Schock or his parents benefited financially from using the incorrect date,” but that nevertheless, “using an incorrect date would be misconduct. Under the Illinois Notary Public Act, knowingly committing official misconduct is a Class A misdemeanor. Doing it through recklessness is a Class B misdemeanor.”
Schock’s response to the Journal Star when asked about it:
Schock told the Journal Star the information, released just weeks before the Nov. 4 primary, likely is the work of his “political opposition trying to paint me in a bad light.”
“Obviously, perception is everything and as a public official I have always worked hard and done my best both in public office and in private business. When you enter the public arena everything you do and say regardless of whether it pertains to public office is scrutinized. This is a case in point example of that,” Schock said.
I thought about exploring whether this issue is just political mudslinging or if it really does expose Schock’s character. But then I remembered that nobody cares.
We have a candidate for the 92nd district, Jehan Gordon, who shoplifted, was fined, but then didn’t pay the fine for several years — not until she was running for office. And yet she was nominated by the voters over Allen Mayer.
Schock earlier in his campaign had advocated selling obsolete nuclear weapons to Taiwan to try to intimidate China; he initially stood by his statement, then said it was a joke, then eventually said it was a mistake. And yet he was nominated by voters over Jim McConoughey and John Morris.
So official misconduct as a notary public seven years ago? Whoop-de-do. That won’t even be a blip on voters’ radar screens.
In an of itself, it’s not that big of a deal, but when you combine it with his comment of giving nukes to Taiwan, his petulance over the bill to the city of Peoria, and his betrayal of public trust while acting as a notary public, one has the beginnings of a political narrative that one cannot trust Young Aaron Schock’s trust.
His foreign policy pronouncements sound an awful lot like Sarah Palin. His comments on Barack Obama’s “socialism” sound an awful lot like her “dangerous radicalism” comments. Schock’s pronouncements on the economy are xeroxed right out of George W. Bush’s speeches. Has Schock learned anything during this meltdown? And now he’s gots the ethics of Bill Clinton? Sounds like a winning formula to me.
As to the tastes of the voters, there is an old saying “Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice . . .”
Few could stand up to the intense scrutiny that Schocks jealous opponents have undertaken against him. Schock could use his efforts and funds to go digging into Callahan’s background and dubious statements but has instead chosen to focus on the needs of his constituents. Callahan, on the other hand, seems to use all her resources to do nothing other than undermine Schock, and treats him as if he exists purely to do her bidding.
Then you have the PJStar, who chooses to make this front page news… when it is NOT news. He has not been charged or convicted of a crime. He has not participated in any kind of fraud or cover-up. In fact, his family has been cooperating, at great personal sacrifice I presume, to put a con artist behind bars. The way the article is written the casual reader might assume that Schock participated in the scam.
In the meantime, Callahan’s expressed desire to instate the draft if elected ends up on Page 10 at the bottom of a paragraph barely perceptible. So maybe the voters aren’t as apathetic as you suggest they are, CJ. Perhaps they are just perceptive, and demonstrating their unhappiness with a print media that is blatantly trying to drive the outcome of an election at the voting booth.
So it is only news if he is charged with something? If no one investigates how would anyone ever be charged with anything? Does not compute.
“In fact, his family has been cooperating, at great personal sacrifice I presume, to put a con artist behind bars.”
Well, if you count keeping their own butts out of jail a “great personal sacrifice,” I guess that works. Most people don’t willingly admit criminal behavior under oath in federal court unless they are saving themselves from prosecution. That’s how the government makes cases – they make promises to the little fish involved in order to get the bigger fish.
In the end, is it a big deal? If the facts we currently know are the only facts to be known about this, then no – it isn’t a big deal. I agree with CJ. Apparently, the voters are ready to forgive some small mistakes and vote for unqualified candidates (I mean both Gordon and Schock) over more qualified candidates (like Mayer and Morris).
But to paint the Schocks as completely innocent parties in this? That is naive.
Well, it is a big deal because of circumstances. If Joe Blow notary public does it, it’s not even a mention in the paper UNLESS charges are filed. But Schock is a sitting state rep and a candidate for Congress. So it’s news. But I agree the facts of the case don’t leave me outraged. And voters are voters. Those who support him think it’s all politics. Those who support his opponent thinks it speals volumns about his character. But I think if this were a very serious charge, a sizeable portion of voters are smart enough to see that.
Wow, Diane … it’s not news that you like, so it isn’t news? I guess if you’re a Bush / McCain / Palin supporter, you get used to pulling the wool over your own eyes, covering your ears, and going “LA LA LA LA.”
I agree this won’t make much of a ripple, but it certainly IS news, and it certainly does put a dent in Golden Boy’s squeaky clean image. But it’s just a LITTLE lie … to benefit ones own family … in order that they might ILLEGALLY avoid taxes … done in an official capacity as a public servant.
Yeah, nothing to see here. //end sarcasm
Richard Nixon was never convicted of anything either… OJ Simpson wasn’t convicted of murder, either… Lyndon Johnson was never even charged with murder, bribery, election fraud or anything else…
We, the voting public, could not care less what OUR candidates do, say or or have done or have said… we really don’t even care what they say they will do or what they eventually do do. (I just wrote “do do”!!!!)
As long as them Commies or Right Wing Extremists (Neo Cons, Fascists, Constitutionalists, Libertarians, Green Party, Blacks, Atheists, Muslims…) don’t take over our country… we just don’t care.
Diane: “Few could stand up to the intense scrutiny that Schocks jealous opponents have undertaken against him.”
Puh-leese. Poor Aaron Shlock. Shouldn’t EVERY public servant being paid 100s of thousands of dollars and being entrusted with TRILLIONS of dollars of our money (not to mention the lives, health and safety) of our citizens be subject to intense scrutiny?
CJ – If I can’t use html to put something in quotes, how do I do it?
From pjstar.com:
The issue came up in the July trial of three people accused of selling sham trusts and financial packages. The Schocks were victims of the scheme and were accused of no wrongdoing.
I have worked in real estate my entire adult life. I have seen thousands if not hundreds of thousands of notarized docs. I hate to pee on your parade, people, but it is not unusual for a wife to stop in and sign something, the husband sign it a day later, and the notary use one notary line to attest to the signatures. Or the closing agent tells you the signatures have to be notarized on the day the deed is dated, so that’s the date that is used. Or the notary isn’t in the office when the client is in so the agent attests to the notary an accurate signature by way of witness and a drivers license. Things like that happen every day because we do not live in a perfectly packaged little world. Should we all be locked up? Any professional who is also a notary has had issues arise and if they haven’t they are either lying or not very busy.
Secondly, I would like to ask the audience here, have you ever signed your tax returns for a spouse? Have you ever cashed a check made out to the other by signing the other’s name? If that’s permissable, then why did you sign the spouses name and not just yours twice? I’m sure that’s different though.
… and as far as PJStar coverage is concerned, this biased reporting didn’t work in the past against Schock, or against Mayor Jim Ardis who won in a landslide by the way… you would think they would learn. Try fair and accurate political coverage for a change, PJStar -maybe THAT will give you the outcome you are looking for.
Aaron Schock forged documents as a Notary Republic. Not only is that illegal, it absolutely raises more questions about his character.
Oh Geezus, PI, he did not. Is this a joke? Remember the game “telephone” when you were 6?
He doesn’t deny it!
PjStar: “In an interview with The Associated Press, Schock did not dispute his father’s testimony.
But as a notary public, Schock was required to provide accurate information about witnessing documents being signed. Schock declared that he witnessed the documents being signed on Jan. 1, 2000, but they weren’t actually signed until more than a year later.
Notaries are people who are legally empowered to witness documents and certify their validity.”
The forgery part must be in white text on white background.
One of the major responsibilities we give our elected officials is the power of the purse. Aaron Schock cannot but has in fact put himself in the position of having his financial integrity questioned. His lack of judgment in this affair is a cancer. Look what happened to the former mayor of Pekin when it was learned that he’d abused his position and used a credit card at the riverboat casino. People can overlook many things, but playing fast and loose with their cash is not one of them.
As to the charges of Media bias by the PJS, one must remember that the story was by the Associated Press, and the Chicago Tribune was the first Illinois media site to break the story.
Yeah, I have to agree with Diane on this one. Schock didn’t “forge” anything. Misrepresented, faked, lied about — but not “forged.” Let’s not get carried away.
I was not trying to get carried away, rather I chose the wrong word and stand corrected, but the sentiment remains the same.
I don’t see the big deal here, and I’m not a Schock supporter. Don’t tell me that this shows he’s a liar, a crook or whatever. If your dad asked you to back date a docoment so he could get in on some crazy tax shelter, don’t tell me that you would refuse his request.
“one must remember that the story was by the Associated Press, and the Chicago Tribune was the first Illinois media site to break the story.”
Yes, the Chicago Tribune, an extremely corrupt liberal media fossil that has put corrupt people in office and single- handedly destroyed our state.
Knight, your a Doctor.. let me tell you some things my folks have heard from your fine profession throughout the years…”Don’t like that mole? We can have its removal covered.. we’ll just call it suspicious”.
“Asthma, no we won’t put asthma on his record.. that will make him hard to insure…”
“We’ll just schedule that procedure after your year of non-coverage is up…”
What about medicare/medicaid docs? I’ll bet those are a blast. Ever have an ethical issue with them? And don’t EVEN get me going on attorneys! Lol! [end addressing Knight]
The professional world is full of ethical and legal challenges. What is client service, and what is misrepresentation? It can be a fine line, can’t it? Rhetorically speaking, before you cast that stone, do you pass?
CJ,
The missiles did not even exist at the time of the statement.
Lets sell them The Nina, The Pinta, and the Santa Maria, OH! they do not exist either.
The Chicago Tribune is liberal? Are you serious? Let’s take a look at their recent endorsements for President:
2004: George W. Bush
2000: George W. Bush
1996: Bob Dole
1992: George H. W. Bush
1988: George H. W. Bush
Yeah, they’re a real liberal rag!
It’s not a fine line. Schock should not have done it. But, before the days of gotcha politics and zero tolerance, we used to be able to react appropriately when someone crossed the line. Here, Schock back- dated a document at the request of his father, presumably so the father could take part in some kind of tax shelter. Turned out, the father was being victimized, so he got his in the end. But back to Schock, his father asked his son for some help, and the son gave his help. Should he have done so? No. But does doing as his father asked mean he is a dishonest person. No. It simply means that, he helped his father when he was asked. If Schock weren’t running for office, and those who are against him weren’t looking for the gotcha moment that they need so their team could win the game, our reaction would be more measured and more appropriate. But, that’s not what politics is all about is it? It’s all about the game.
two points to make: 1) the statute of limitations has passed (after 6 years) so there will be no prosecution, period.
2) a review of the notary public (not republic) act shows that this is not a specifically prohibited act, which is statutorily defined. I think its clearly implied that a notary should indicate in their certification the date upon which the signature they are authenticating was made, however, its not spelled out that way. Before we make assumptions of what the law means, perhaps we should look at what the law says (or doesn’t).
CJ, do you ever read it? It’s a joke.
Notaries exisit to keep people from screwing with dates and signatures. He engaged in the activity we was supposed to prevent. If my dad said, “hey BeanCounter CPA sign off on these “audited” wink wink financials for my bank loan documentation,” I am pretty sure I would pass.
Peoriaillinoisan says: I was not trying to get carried away, rather I chose the wrong word and stand corrected
Yeah, forgery=wrong date on the notary line…I can understand your confusion.
When you were 18, Beancounter?
He didn’t accidentally write down the wrong date.
Gee, let me see if I got this right. Five or six years ago some one shoplifted some jewlery – and we can forgive that as a yourthful mistake, and five or six years ago some one back dated a document so his dad could get victimized in some tax shelter scheme, and this guy has a serious character flaw that disqualifies him from public trust. Have I got it right? Because if so, I would like to know what kind of game this is?
Actually I was 18 more recently then Mr. Schock or you, but that really isn’t relevant. If at 19 he couldn’t stand up to his father and say, “I will not help you falsify documents,” then he had no business being a notary. If he currently thinks that using a false date on documents sent to the IRS in an effort to reduce a tax burden isn’t improper then he isn’t ready for congress, regardless of age.
I lived my entire life in the Chicago area until 2 years ago when I moved to Peoria and I am very familiar with the Chicago Tribune, and it is not nor has it ever been a liberal newspaper. The founder of the Tribune was Col McCormick, which actually started the republican party. The paper is conservative and it has been since day 1.
Even as a hard core lib, I must say this is desperate. Callahan needed to begin defining Schock in oh, maybe APRIL!! Aaron was a shoo in from the get go regardless. The local Ds failed to come up with a viable candidate. I early voted for Shaffer today. Ben, you are correct the Trib is another sucky conservative paper
I’m waiting until the votes come in to see if Schock is the shoo-in so many claim. Most folks I know aren’t voting for him. Callahan’s name recognition is far greater outside of Peoria.
And he didn’t fudge the date by a few days, as sure, realtors do a lot. He fudges the date by over a year. That’s pushing the envelope on doing someone a favor, even your dad.
And my big question is – why did they need tax shelters? I haven’t been following this, but in my book “tax shelters” almost always reads “hiding money illegally.” I could be wrong. But unfortunately for Schock, I think “tax shelters” reads crooked to a lot of people. So more than the date notarization issue, those two words seem far more shady.
You people ought to give it up and get used to saying Congressman Schock. If he is as bad as most of you Democrats think, why don’t you convince someone in your party to run that has a chance. If all you can come up with is Colleen “let’s bring back the draft” Callahan, you are going to lose every time.
One thing all of you have missed is that his father asked him to do him this favor. If this is indicative of the line of principle inherited this does not bode well for his genetics. Father asks son to do something shady and son does it. My father would never have asked me to do such a thing in the first place. He had far greater integrity than to ask one of his children to partake of any such thing. He taught us better also. Like father, like son.
Just thought I would rewrite a previous paragraph:
“Few could stand up to the intense scrutiny that Obama’s jealous opponents have undertaken against him. Obama could use his efforts and funds to go digging into McCain’s background and dubious statements but has instead chosen to focus on the needs of his constituents. McCain, on the other hand, seems to use all his resources to do nothing other than undermine Obama.”
7 years…stat of lim has probably expired.
But CJ, don’t let anyone get their panties in a bunch over this without them first checking this out:
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/05/obama_pal_bill.html
This man is probably the ghostwriter of Obamas books.
Go Diane, you’re my tpe of person. What a bunch of crap on notarizing when most of you making negative comments don’t even know the wordng of the statue.
C.J., you bring some common sense into the matter. If anyone dug into Schock’s opponents background, bet you would find something more serious to the public trust of electing someone to D.C.???
Wanna bet??
As to Gordon’s background? Check my blogsite.
“the wordng of the statue”?
did you mean “the wording of the statute”?
He was 19 and he verified his father’s signature. I’m sure he was pretty confident the person was his father.
With crap like this being dragged up, it is a wonder anyone runs for office. Callahan has spent too much time in the mud and no time–not one ad–saying what she is for. That’s the broken politics we need to change.
Mazr,
Sorry, thanks for the correction. No excuse.
Secondly, I would like to ask the audience here, have you ever signed your tax returns for a spouse? Have you ever cashed a check made out to the other by signing the other’s name? If that’s permissable, then why did you sign the spouses name and not just yours twice? I’m sure that’s different though.
Left by diane vespa on October 15th, 2008
Have I been tempted? Sure.
Did I do it? No way. I would never forge my spouse’s signature. It’s just a matter of public and personal trust. Yes, I have been tempted for convenience’s sake. But then I thought about it twice and said “no.”
Merle…are you still out there?
Diane’s ‘cheerleader-like’ support of Schock I can understand, they both share a love for all things ‘real estate’, but you?!? When did you become so hardcore Republican that you would vote for any imbecile wearing an elephant pin?
Krupa found it ‘necessary’ to question Gordan’s ‘character’ on several counts. The Republican blowhards [including Vespa and Widmer] had a field day with that. Now Vespa and Widmer are screaming FOUL because Aaron might get a spanky!!!???? I am beginning to question the sanity of ALL of this. It is politics though…isn’t it?
Shock’s comments about the T-nukes, whether a “joke” or just plain stupidity, does nothing but reveal his immaturity. Financial wiz-kid maybe, politician……never.
Schock is a political Tabula Rasa and the Republican Party is the ‘chalk.’ This kid is already becoming indoctrinated with outdated, Republican/Conservative Bull S__t, which by virtue of his ‘youth’ he touts as the new SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM!!! His Wikipedia analysis of the Clinton Years [Schock web-site] scores an F+, and is as contrived as the rest of his campaign.
AND MERLE! If you have the low down on the ‘criminal’ past of Schock’s opponents lets have it!!!
Forty five comments, I guess someone cares.
I never thought I would say this:
I wish Ray LaHood was on the ballot.
DV sez: “I have worked in real estate my entire adult life. I have seen thousands if not hundreds of thousands of notarized docs. I hate to pee on your parade, people, but it is not unusual for a wife to stop in and sign something, the husband sign it a day later, and the notary use one notary line to attest to the signatures. Or the closing agent tells you the signatures have to be notarized on the day the deed is dated, so that’s the date that is used. Or the notary isn’t in the office when the client is in so the agent attests to the notary an accurate signature by way of witness and a drivers license.”
I say: Does this mean Realtors are crooked too? So two wrongs do make a right? It’s OK to do this so go ahead and do that?
And MERLE…maybe Diane could find you a nice house….in Bangladesh!
So Daddy won’t be in Washington to ask Aaaron Shlock to do him little favors… but who will? Rumsfeld? Paulsen? The next Billie Sol Estes or Charles Keating?
Aaron needs to go back to remedial Boy Scouts… I mean Cub Scouts. He needs to learn about honor and honesty.
“McCain used the debate to accuse Obama of waging class warfare by advocating tax increases designed to “spread the wealth around.”
Class Warfare? Leave it to a Republican to emphasize CLASS distinction…….