Politics: Schock dined on China’s dime?

November 13, 2007 in Statehouse & Capitol Tags: Aaron Schock, China, Iran, nukes, Taiwan, trip

An email tipster (NOT someone from Jim McConoughey’s campaign) reminded me of the following. Back when he was still a member of the Peoria School District 150 board of education AND a member of the state legislature, Schock missed the vote to hire Ken Hinton as superintendent because he was away on a trip to China. The trip was discussed in a Word on the Street column that has long since vanished behind the Journal Star’s paid archives. Blogger Willy Nilly touched on it here and here. Here is a snippet of the Aug. 21, 2006 PJS article sent to me:

“Schock said that while Chinese officials, as well as some companies and other hosting groups, did pay for meals and lodging, he paid for his travel out of his own pocket. Schock went with five other Illinois lawmakers on a trip comprised of four Democrats and two Republicans. He was invited by Chicago Democrat Rep. Susana Mendoza. Schock said the trip’s purpose was to talk to Illinois and U.S. businesses in China, as well as Chinese businesses looking for opportunities in Illinois. “

There’s a whole industry that’s sprung up dedicated to hooking up American businesses with China. The end result is almost always American jobs going to China where the labor is cheap. Unlike with Japanese automakers, don’t see many Chinese companies opening up manufacturing plants here.

And didn’t Schock recently say that state governments have no role in foreign policy? So why the fact-finding trip while he was a state legislator and not a candidate for Congress?

RSS 2.0 Comments Feed | Responses are currently closed, but you can Trackback.

2 Responses to “Politics: Schock dined on China’s dime?”

C. J. Summers Says:
November 13th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
8/21/2006 WOTS:

Schock back from China

A few weeks ago, we reported that Republican state Rep. Aaron Schock was on a state-sponsored trip to China. Well, he’s back, and glad to be home, but said the trip was worthwhile.

In the midst of his trip, we’re told the Democrats ran a poll asking voters if they’d be more or less likely to vote for Schock if they knew the Chinese government was paying for part of it. We weren’t able to get our hands on any results of that poll, but Schock said that while Chinese officials, as well as some companies and other hosting groups, did pay for meals and lodging, he paid for his travel out of his own pocket. Schock went with five other Illinois lawmakers on a trip comprised of four Democrats and two Republicans.

He was invited by Chicago Democrat Rep. Susana Mendoza, so it would be a bit of a tricky situation for the Democrats to make an issue of it. Schock said the trip’s purpose was to talk to Illinois and U.S. businesses in China, as well as Chinese businesses looking for opportunities in Illinois. China ranks third on Illinois’ export list, behind Canada and Mexico, he said.

Schock said he’s often heard people here grumble that U.S. jobs are being lost to China. He was surprised to learn on the trip that Chinese citizens felt just as threatened by U.S. innovations, as a piece of John Deere cotton picking equipment could, and has, replaced dozens of field hands. (M.P.)
Rich Miller Says:
November 13th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Man, that story is pure spin.