Schock to feds on leak probe: Put up or shut up

WASHINGTON – Lawyers for former Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., on Friday said federal prosecutors should put up or shut up when it comes to accusations over media leaks.

The prosecutors asked for and will get a hearing before a U.S. District Court Court judge in Springfield on Aug. 18, after filing papers with the court complaining about leaks on Aug. 10.

The problem, from the Schock perspective, is that no one can find any news report from Aug. 10 based on any leaked information about the Schock investigation. Sealed court documents were made public on Aug. 11.

Schock’s lawyers are asking in court papers filed on Friday that the government be forced, in advance of the hearing, to “provide the specific basis” for the accusation, “rather than just a generalized pronouncement, which has led to numerous media inquiries to counsel and erroneous speculation that Mr. Schock or his counsel is responsible for some leak.”

Schock’s lawyers also said they did not provide any sealed information “to any person, media representative or otherwise, by Mr. Schock or his counsel.”