Dennis Hastert accused of sexual abuse by at least 4, sources say

[kpete]

Source: Chicago Tribune

For months, federal authorities have hinted at the motive behind the hush-money payments former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert has admitted to making: the sexual abuse of a teenage boy when Hastert was still a suburban high school teacher and wrestling coach.

But now, a Tribune investigation has uncovered new details of the case — at least four people have made what law enforcement sources say are credible allegations of sexual abuse against Hastert.

The Tribune has determined the identities of three of them, all men, whose allegations stretch over a decade when they were teenagers and Hastert was their coach. One is dead. The Tribune has approached the other two — described in federal court records as Individuals A and D — and confirmed their roles in the case.

The man who received $1.7 million from Hastert and is at the center of the federal indictment — Individual A — declined to be interviewed by the Tribune. Behind the government's carefully worded court documents, reporters discovered a sometimes-pained narrative of his life since his days as a standout wrestler in the 1970s and how his interactions with Hastert might have affected him.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-dennis-hastert-investigation-met-20160406-story.html

[RiverNoord]

1. A pedophile and crook.

I'm really surprised he never ran for president - his GOP bona fides are perfect!

[valerief]

24. Pedophile and crook. Sounds like a perfect Republican. nt

[skypilot]

2. Phew!!! What a relief!!

I had let this whole story slip off my radar. When I saw the headline I mistakenly thought it was referring to the actor Dennis Haysbert.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dennis+haysbert&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg9aaH6fzLAhXKGB4KHSB1BAQQ_AUIBygB&biw=1920&bih=919

As soon as I saw the words "hush-money" I remembered who this was actually about.

[sofa king]

3. This story has powerful international implications.

If Hastert was bribed by, oh say, the Turks in order to kill a Congressional statement on the Armenian genocide, then all of a sudden it's a story about criminal international espionage between the third-in-line to the Presidency and a muslim nation during a war, isn't it?

Isn't it?

[mopinko]

17. ^^^this^^^^^

what is it the cia used to say?- the reason the gays cant be trusted is that they would be so easy to blackmail. (not saying this is the case. especially when you dont cram people in the closet in the first place.) closeted powerful pedophiles are guaranteed in someone's pocket. even tho this was pretty much an open secret out in plainfield.

it makes me not wonder at all why the gop is so obsessed w gays and links them to pedophiles all.the.time.

which is why i am inclined to believe all the stories about powerful men being supplied w young boys. how much easier does it get to get your hands around the throat of power?
same goes for drugs.

hypocrites deserve to be hoist on their own petard. nice to see you swinging there, denny boy.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

26. I noticed at the time...

... but didn't mention it out of fear of being a CT person.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Hastert offers apology for 'misconduct' as he seeks probation

Former House speaker Dennis Hastert on Wednesday apologized in a court filing for "misconduct" he committed -- without specifying what exactly he was sorry for.
In a filing with the U.S. District Court in Illinois, Hastert's attorneys asked for probation instead of jail time, saying he was "deeply sorry" for his actions adding his remorse is emotional and heartfelt.

Hastert pleaded guilty last October in a hush money case for structuring money transactions in a way to evade requirements to report where the money was going. Investigators said Hastert paid $3.5 million.
"First and foremost, Mr. Hastert is deeply sorry and apologizes for his misconduct that occurred decades ago and the resulting harm he caused to others," his attorneys wrote. "He will stand before the Court having deteriorated both physically and emotionally, undoubtedly in part due to public shaming and humiliation of an unprecedented degree."
Two sources with knowledge of the federal investigation told CNN in June that Hastert was paying a former student to stay quiet about allegations of sexual abuse from when he was a wrestling coach and teacher in Yorkville, Illinois.
Hastert is slated to be sentenced April 27.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/06/politics/dennis-hastert-court-filing-misconduct-probation/index.html

"I'm sorry. Moving forward" seems to be the typical excuse of these guys.

[rurallib]

14. Almost makes Hastert out to be the victim here

the public shaming and all.

This would be a case where solitary confinement for life seems justified.
Good gawd, this man was 3rd in line for the presidency for a decade!

[greiner3]

18. The one who took Hastert's money

Could be culpable for back taxes and interest. Sad fallout

[PatV]

5. Here's what his attorney thinks should happen to the old pedo

Attorneys for former House speaker Dennis Hastert seek probation for their client

Attorneys for former U.S. House speaker and Illinois Republican Dennis Hastert on Wednesday asked a federal judge to sentence their client to a term of probation, saying he was in poor health and already thoroughly shamed by the criminal case against him.

Hastert, 74, pleaded guilty last year to violating federal banking laws, admitting in a deal with prosecutors that he withdrew money from banks in increments low enough to avoid mandatory reporting requirements and that he paid someone to keep decades-old misconduct a secret.

That dull charge revealed more sinister allegations against Hastert, a former teacher and wrestling coach in a high school. A federal law enforcement official has said that the person paid off was a former male student of Hastert’s who alleged that the former speaker sexually molested him years ago.

Hastert is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27. Federal sentencing guidelines call for him to face zero to six months in prison, although the judge could deviate from that range.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorneys-for-former-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-seek-probation-for-their-client/2016/04/06/42ef77b8-fc37-11e5-80e4-c381214de1a3_story.html

He'll get away with it. House arrest or something. Ankle bracelet for the old geezer and a 'fine'. Guys like this always skate. I know he's old but go read the story at the link. He's a real assh*le for what he did.

[Kelvin Mace]

6. Nobody is asking the obvious question:

Was Hastert ever subject to blackmail about other players? Say other governments? Corporate powers? As Speaker of the House he had a lot of clout and apparently his pedophilia was not exactly secret.

[yellowcanine]

12. To me another obvious question is, "Has he abused anyone more recently?"

Seriously, what are the chances he stopped abusing young men after his high school coaching days were over?

[Hekate]

21. Chances he stopped? Slim to none, take your pick. It's a compulsion and a crime of opportunity.

A lot of the time the victims blame themselves and think they are the only one the perp abused, especially when the abuser is a well-respected man in authority.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

23. And I wonder under what circumstances the 1 boy died.

Was he going to expose Hastert once he got to congress?

[Botany]

7. And Haster led the impeachment against Bill Clinton back in the day.

The Daily Kos recently dug up a statement in which Hastert said that given Clinton's
"inability to abide by the law, the Constitution and my conscience have all led me to
the solemn conclusion that impeachment articles must be passed."

http://mic.com/articles/119738/the-nbsp-dennis-hastert-scandal-has-outed-the-hypocrisy-of-republican-leadership#.34TO9jJKD

[Hekate]

22. Bastards, all of them. Mistresses, dead girls, live boys; but they impeached Bill for consensual sex

[Botany]

25. and they let w & Cheney walk after missing 70 warnings before 9-11 and their lies to get us ...

.... into Iraq which has taken over 1,000,000 lives and produced ISIS. If the American people
really knew the score then nobody outside of the deep south, Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma and or Wyoming
would ever vote GOP again.

BTW "their" witch hunt against Bill Clinton and the bj took away from the Clinton administration's
efforts to get bin Laden. "They" really are a cancer on the country.

[hibbing]

8. Dumb question...Where did all the money come from?

My understanding was he was a high school teacher and a coach. I know he made decent money in Congress but what, 3 million to pay out? I guess I'm naive.


Peace

[Botany]

9. From Turkey

http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/4015-hastert-contracted-to-lobby-for-turkey

[hibbing]

13. Well

I thought I read where he paid one of them 1.7 million before the Turkey thing, but okay. The stupid Chicago article with all those flash ads keeps crashing my browser.

Peace

[mopinko]

19. before the turkey thing came out.

bribery could have been going on for a long time. and i dont doubt that someone in turkey supplied him w a boy, then made him an offer he couldnt refuse.

[AxionExcel]

10. Hastert is among the "Very Best & Brightest' of the Republicans

Shows you how low Republicans are nowadays.

[vkkv]

11. I hope HE GETS LIFE !!! DIRTBAG !!!

[shenmue]

15. Jail!

[Rebkeh]

16. K and R nt

[Hekate]

20. And this is the guy who was in charge of the teenage pages? Oh barf.

[Solly Mack]

27. Throw him in jail like any other sexual predator. It's real simple.

[awake]

28. And the Rebuplicans in congress still hold to "the Hastert Rule"

Which is not to bring any bill to a vote unless they have a majority of Rebuplicans who want to vote for it. This is one of the main reasons that nothing can get done in Washinton because of a "Rule" named after a sexual abuser!

[Firebrand Gary]

29. Why is this not permanently on the front page?

This should be on the cover of every news paper, every website and on the lips of every person at the water cooler! We've endured generations of being called predators and yet, the true predator was the speaker of the house of representatives all along.

I am so fucking angry!