An Illinois congressman already under intense scrutiny for spending $ 40,000 redecorating his office like Downton Abbey is embroiled in yet another controversy after it emerged he spent $ 10,000 of taxpayers ' money to have his staff accompany him on a trip to New York . The spending habits of U.S. Republican Aaron Schock have been widely scrutinized after he used $ 40,000 in taxpayer funds to redecorate his Washington office in the style of the Downton Abbey television show . Now it has been claimed he spent $ 10,000 taking 10 staff members on a trip to New York to coincide with a U.S. visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Illinois Republican Aaron Schock ( pictured ) is embroiled in yet another spending controversy after it emerged he used $ 10,000 of taxpayers ' funds to have 10 staffers accompany him on a trip to New York City . In the latest development , The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Schock staffers did almost no government work there and House disbursement records show he received the $ 10,053 for 'travel subsistence ' between September 26 and 29 . The events with the Indian prime minister were September 27 and 28 . And about 20 tickets to a Global Citizen Festival concert - where performers included Jay Z and Carrie Underwood - were purchased using $ 3,000 from a Schock campaign fund . Schock , at an event Monday in Chicago , told reporters the New York trip was official business and he was honored his staff could attend . Schock said about a dozen world leaders including President Barack Obama spoke . His spokesman has said that Schock wanted to play a 'constructive role ' in Modi 's visit to further economic ties between the U.S. and India . 'It was a very legitimate trip on official business , ' he told reporters . ' I 'm glad that I played such a significant role in it . And I 'm honored that my staff was able to be there with me as well . ' Schock would not address questions about why he took so many staff members . Other Illinois congressmen made the same trip but without staff members and some paid for the trip out of personal funds . Photos taken in January of Schock 's new office in the Rayburn Office Building , which was designed to resemble the dining room of the TV show Downton Abbey . Schock 's financial charges have been made public after organizations questioned what his expenses were going toward . He has spent thousands on concerts and car mileage reimbursements . Schock yesterday also defended his frequent Illinois travel as his way of reaching constituents . He noted that his central Illinois district is geographically expansive , including parts of Peoria , Bloomington and Springfield , and says he has fewer district offices than other congress members . 'Some people spend more on direct mail pieces that they send out , ' he told reporters . ' I spend more to get around my district . ' Last month the Associated Press identified at least a dozen flights worth more than $ 40,000 on aircraft belonging to Schock 's donors since mid-2011 . Beyond air travel , Schock spent thousands more on tickets for concerts , car mileage reimbursements - among the highest in Congress . Other official expenses that have been made by Schock include taking interns to a sold-out Katy Perry show last year and a Bears game . Schock has said that he 's hired a firm to review his spending . He 's reimbursed the government $ 40,000 for the office decorations and $ 1,200 for the Bears game flight . Schock also used official expenses to attend a Chicago Bears game ( pictured ) last year . He later reimbursed the government $ 1,200 for the trip .
Aaron Schock under intense scrutiny for lavish spending of taxpayer funds . The congressman spent $ 40,000 renovating his office like Downton Abbey . It has now emerged he spent $ thousands,000 taking thousands staffers on a New York trip . Schock told reporters the trip was official business to help generate commercial ties with India and he was 'honored ' all the staffers attended . He also defended travel through Illinois as a way of meeting constituents .