Aaron Schock

Early Life and Education

Aaron Jon Schock was born on May 28, 1981, in Morris, Minnesota. He is the youngest of four children born to Janice and Richard Schock. His father was a physician and a former school board member, while his mother was a homemaker.

Schock attended Richwoods High School in Peoria, Illinois, where he completed all graduation requirements by his junior year. Due to school district policies, he was not permitted to graduate early. Instead, he spent his senior year earning dual credits at Illinois Central College before graduating from high school in 2000 and enrolling at Bradley University.

Political Career and Net Worth

In 2002, Schock earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Bradley University. He began his political career the following year, successfully challenging four-term incumbent Ricca Slone for a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives. Schock served two terms in the state legislature before running for Congress in 2008 and winning a seat representing Illinois's 18th congressional district. He became the youngest member of the U.S. House of Representatives at that time.

During his tenure in Congress, Schock was known for his advocacy of fiscal conservatism and efforts to appeal to younger voters. However, his career was interrupted in 2015 when he resigned amid scrutiny over misuse of public and campaign funds, including questionable expense reimbursements and lavish office redecorations.

In 2016, a federal grand jury indicted him on 24 criminal counts, including wire fraud and theft of government funds. After a lengthy legal battle, the charges were dismissed in March 2019 following a deferred prosecution agreement. Under the agreement, Schock repaid approximately $42,000 to the IRS and $68,000 to his congressional campaign fund. As of recent estimates, his net worth is believed to be in the low seven figures.

Public Controversies and Media Attention

While in Congress, Schock consistently voted against legislation supporting LGBT rights, including voting against the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. His voting record received a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, reflecting his opposition to LGBT-related policies during his tenure.

Speculation about Schock’s sexuality emerged during his political career and intensified after his resignation. In public, he maintained opposition to LGBT rights, yet media coverage frequently noted his fashion choices and travel companions, which some interpreted as incongruent with his policy stances. In 2019, he was photographed at a gay bar in Mexico City, further fueling public discourse on the subject.

Later that year, Schock publicly came out as gay in a personal essay, acknowledging the contradictions between his private identity and public actions. He expressed regret over his anti-LGBT voting record and issued apologies to those affected by his political stances.