WASHINGTON -- Ready for some Schock and awe?
Disgraced ex-Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) spent nearly $1 million on legal fees between July and September, according to new campaign finance reports.
Schock, once considered a rising star in the Republican Party, resigned from his seat in the House in March after multiple reports alleged he used taxpayer money on expensive gifts, travel and events.
Filings released by the Federal Election Commission on Thursday show Schock spent $901,337 of his campaign funds on legal fees in the most recent quarter.
That's on top of the $1.05 million he spent between April and June on legal fees.
According to the latest filings, there are nine different charges on Schock's campaign account that are labeled "legal fees" or "legal consulting."
The largest lump sum out of those nine, $500,000, went to K Street firm McGuireWoods for "legal consulting." Schock paid a similar fee to the firm in the previous pay period as well, totaling $1 million to McGuireWoods alone from April to September.
The second-largest law firm on Schock's payroll is Berliner, Corcoran & Rowe, which received a total of $151,764 in two installments. Lane & Waterman of Iowa received $122,395.
Schock remains in a battle with the Justice Department over how many and which documents he should release to the Illinois grand jury investigating his spending of taxpayer and campaign funds.
Despite spending $1.9 million from his campaign coffers this year in legal fees, Schock still boasts a chest of over $1.1 million. In addition to the fees he's paid out, Schock still owes $750,000 to Jones Day.
It's legal for former lawmakers to use their leftover funds to pay for campaign- or charity-related expenses. Schock isn't alone in doing this.
Schock first came under scrutiny in February after a Washington Post report revealed he spent $40,000 on a lavish "Downton Abbey"-themed office.