SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A federal election law expert says a campaign donor’s federal lawsuit against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock seeking a refund faces some impediments.

Chicago lawyer Howard Foster’s class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court Wednesday seeks a return of all the money Shock collected for congressional races.

Richard Hasen is a law professor at the University of California-Irvine. He doesn’t recall ever seeing such a lawsuit. He says a political contribution is considered a gift and givers have little say over how their generosity is used.

He also says the money went to campaign committees, not the candidate. The lawsuit addresses that by declaring Schock had directed those committees and signed fundraising letters.

 

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