Report: Illinois Republican Aaron Schock to Retire Amid Ethics Probe Into Campaign Spending Habits

Four-term Republican Aaron Schock (Ill.) said Tuesday he would resign from Congress, after having spent the last several weeks answering questions about his lavish spending habits on travel and office decorations.

"Today, I am announcing my resignation as a member of the United States House of Representatives effective March 31," Schock said in a statement that was first reported by Politico.

"I do this with a heavy heart. Serving the people of the 18th district is the highest and greatest honor I have had in my life."

Schock said questions about his spending habits this year became a "great distraction" that made it too difficult to serve his constituents "with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself."

Schock faced an ethics probe over how he spent his campaign money — $40,000 of which allegedly went toward redecorating his Capitol Hill office in the style of the PBS show Downtown Abbey.

Politico also reported that Schock claimed that he drove 170,000 miles on a Chevy Tahoe for campaign reasons, and was reimbursed for those miles. But the car he claimed to be driving only had about 80,000 miles on it when he sold it.

That news, reported in February, led to reports about how he splurged on private plans and other trips.

Earlier Tuesday, the Chicago Tribute reported that political donors helped Schock buy a property in Illinois.