Schock misreported payment for private flight

Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock reported on federal campaign finance documents that he spent more than $3,000 on software on Nov. 14.

But in fact, the expenditure was part of the cost of flying in a software executive’s private plane to a Chicago Bears game and his district, the pilot and company executive said.


Keith Siilats, the chief technology officer of Bytelogics, said in an interview that the $3,425 that the Schock Victory Fund reported spending with his company was really part of the cost for a ride on his airplane.

“This is for a flight,” Siilats said in a brief interview Monday. Asked if he has ever sold Schock software, Siilats said, “No, I never sold him software.”

It’s not clear why Schock reported part of the cost of a flight as a purchase of software. Bytelogics describes says it designs, develops, integrates and implements “high quality, flexible information technology applications and eBusiness strategies for large enterprises.” Schock’s spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Under federal law, “knowing and willful” violations of election statutes — including reporting violations — can result in criminal charges. That could include failing to report an expense or disbursement properly, or repeated violations of regulations covering such actions.

Siilats said the payment was a deposit for a trip on the private plane to Peoria, Illinois and Chicago for official events and a Chicago Bears football game.

“It’s the same flight where we billed him for the $10,000 he disclosed,” Siilats said, referring to a Chicago Sun-Times story, which reported that Schock used taxpayer resources for a trip that included an NFL football game. “The total flight time was — it went longer that day when we flew. The $3,000 was a deposit, and then the $10,000 was the final bill. So the total bill was $13,000.”

Schock reimbursed the government roughly $10,000 for that flight. The additional $3,425, which Schock labeled as a software purchase, came out of the Schock Victory Fund, a joint fundraising account.

Schock’s spending of taxpayer and campaign dollars have come under extreme scrutiny over the past few weeks. He has spent thousands of campaign dollars on pricey hotels and chartered private airplanes using taxpayer money. He reported that he spent campaign money on a fundraising meeting in New Delhi, India, but now says he must change the report.

Schock also held a golf fundraiser at a private course in Maryland, and did not report paying for it. He has taken several trips abroad without following disclosure rules and had to pay back $40,000 for redecorating his office to resemble the set of the PBS show “Downton Abbey.”

At a news conference in his district last week, Schock said the past several weeks have been a “point of reflection” for his office and him personally. He said that he anticipates filing “various clarifying amendments based upon the results” of the ongoing review of his spending. He plans to appear in Austin, Texas, at the South by Southwest festival this weekend.

Asked if he plans to give Schock a ride on his plane again, Siilats said he didn’t know.

“It was a good deal for him and a good deal for me,” Siilats said. “So, I would like to but I don’t think he wants to is the thing. I don’t know how he’s going to get [home] for the weekend to Peoria, but we’ll see.”

— John Bresnahan contributed to this report.