Donor’s lawsuit against Aaron Schock dismissed

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock by a campaign donor who once believed Schock was “ethical, a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics.”

Howard Foster of Chicago gave $500 to Schock’s campaign in 2012 but sued in 2015 shortly after Schock stepped down from Congress. The Peoria Republican is now fighting federal charges that he used campaign and government funds improperly for cars, mileage reimbursements, interior decorating, a charter plane flight to a Bears game and sports tickets he resold for profit.

Though Foster said he gave money to Schock because of his claims of honesty and integrity, U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood ruled that Schock’s campaign promises “are the sort of generic claims of honesty and integrity that are too vague” to be relied upon.

“The elevated skepticism directed toward political communications only pushes Schock’s statements further into the realm of inactionable puffery,” Wood wrote.