Former anti-gay Illinois congressman allegedly caught kissing, groping man at Coachella
Wed. April 17, 2019 12:58 PM by Brian Troutman
fmr. congressman schock (allegedly) and his official photo
photo credit // queerty / u.s. house of representatives
"The gays who associate with him without calling him out should know better. It really is a disgrace."
Indio, CA -
Former GOP Representative Aaron Schock was allegedly spotted making out with another man and putting his hands down the guy's shorts according to multiple media reports and a new photo circulating on Twitter.
Another image of Schock, who has never confirmed or denied his sexuality, showed him shirtless with his arms around several shirtless gay men. Schock reportedly "liked" the image originally posted publicly to Instagram before the account was made private.
The anti-gay former congressman from Peoria, Illinois had a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign. He voted against repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and expanding federal hate crime statutes to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He was also an opponent of same-sex marriage.
The bachelor congressman's sexuality had long been the subject of Beltway gossip. His unusual arrangement with his male photographer, sightings around gay bars and one report insinuating that he had been caught in the shower with a journalist's male roommate had drawn suspicion.
In a viral Facebook post, West Hollywood political activist James Duke Mason wrote:
In March, prosecutors announced they had dropped all felony charges against Schock in exchange for him paying $110,000 in relation to a spending scandal that tanked his political career in which he allegedly lived a lavish lifestyle on his government-funded office account. The enduring image of that scandal was a "Downton Abbey"- styled office, which he allegedly improperly accepted for free from an interior designer.
Before his fall from power, Schock had been considered a rising star in the Republican Party. He was even once courted as a possible gubernatorial candidate in Illinois who could appeal to conservatives and moderates.
Another image of Schock, who has never confirmed or denied his sexuality, showed him shirtless with his arms around several shirtless gay men. Schock reportedly "liked" the image originally posted publicly to Instagram before the account was made private.
The anti-gay former congressman from Peoria, Illinois had a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign. He voted against repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and expanding federal hate crime statutes to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He was also an opponent of same-sex marriage.
The bachelor congressman's sexuality had long been the subject of Beltway gossip. His unusual arrangement with his male photographer, sightings around gay bars and one report insinuating that he had been caught in the shower with a journalist's male roommate had drawn suspicion.
In a viral Facebook post, West Hollywood political activist James Duke Mason wrote:
"Normally I wouldn't comment on something like this, but I am just infuriated by these images of former Republican (and anti-gay) Congressman Aaron Schock partying with a group of gay men at Coachella. The fact that he would think he could show his face in public, particularly when he has NEVER renounced or apologized for his votes against gay marriage, gays in the military and against anti-discrimination laws is astounding. My intention isn't to out him or target him personally, but simply to point out the hypocrisy. I saw him at a recent gay social event in West Hollywood and shook his hand before I realized who he was; he should really be ashamed of himself. And the gays who associate with him without calling him out should know better. It really is a disgrace."
In March, prosecutors announced they had dropped all felony charges against Schock in exchange for him paying $110,000 in relation to a spending scandal that tanked his political career in which he allegedly lived a lavish lifestyle on his government-funded office account. The enduring image of that scandal was a "Downton Abbey"- styled office, which he allegedly improperly accepted for free from an interior designer.
Before his fall from power, Schock had been considered a rising star in the Republican Party. He was even once courted as a possible gubernatorial candidate in Illinois who could appeal to conservatives and moderates.