Congressman Aaron Schock On His Alleged “Downton Abbey” Office: ‘Haters Are Gonna Hate’

United States Congress(WASHINGTON) — He insists he’s not trying to be Lord Grantham, but Rep. Aaron Schock’s office bears a striking resemblance to the decor featured in the popular PBS British drama series Downton Abbey, complete with dark red walls, gold-trimmed photographs and black candles mounted on the walls.

“My office last year, or four years ago was a dark navy. And so obviously it wasn’t of interest 4 years ago. So I think the fact that it’s red makes people go, ‘Wow, that’s different,'” Schock, R-Illinois, told ABC News in an exclusive interview. “I’m not upset about the red walls.”

Schock, who at 33 years old is one of the youngest members of Congress, explained that he’s “never been an old crusty white guy,” so he employed the services of a local interior designer, Annie Brahler, whom he entrusted with an office makeover.

“I’m different. I came to Congress at 27,” Schock said. “When I go take a personal vacation I don’t sit on the beach, I go do active things. And so, I’m also not going to live in a cave. So when I post an Instagram photo with me and my friends, as Taylor Swift said, ‘Haters gonna hate.'”

Earlier this week, as the Washington Post was first to report, a staffer in Schock’s office told a reporter that the decor was inspired by the popular British drama.

“It’s actually based off of the red room in Downton Abbey,” a woman sitting behind the front desk told the Post.

Although the redesign prompted an ethics complaint from the Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Schock told ABC News that he will pay Brahler for her professional services personally once he receives an invoice. (Accepting the services as a gift would potentially be a violation of House rules.)

“She’s working on the office, so once it’s done, I’m sure I will get an invoice as I did before and we’ll pay,” Schock said.

As for whether Schock is a big fan of the show, he claims he’s never even watched it.

“Maybe we’ll have a Downton Abbey watch party?” he joked before turning serious. “At the end of the day, regardless of what color wall you choose your office, the most important thing in Congress is what you do for your constituents and what you do for your job.”

Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.