The sentencing concludes the ongoing case, which involved payments Hastert made to a former student he allegedly sexually abused during his time as a wrestling coach at an IL high school, reported ABC News.
Advertisement
In his own statement, Hastert admitted that he “mistreated” some of his athletes and said he was “deeply ashamed”.
Hastert pleaded guilty last fall to violating banking law as he sought to pay $3.5 million to someone referred to in court papers only as Individual A to keep the sex abuse secret. “I apologize to the court and to the people of the United States”.
His plea deal suggests a sentence between probation and six months behind bars.
Durkin took Hastert to task, saying, “Nothing is more stunning than having the words “serial child molester” and “speaker of the House” in the same sentence”.
The former student of Yorkville High School in IL identified himself Wednesday as Scott Cross, now a married father of two and a businessman. He has a wife and two children.
The allegations stem from the time Hastert worked as a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in a Chicago suburb between 1965 and 1981.
Cross, the first victim to ever speak publicly about the abuse, choked up as he described how Hastert molested him in the wrestling locker room in 1972.
Jolene had confronted Hastert who she says dismissed her. “That’s what compelled me to come forward”, Cross said.
Even at the height of Hastert’s power, serious questions were raised about his judgment – his refusal to renounce misconduct by his colleagues and his own financial transactions that made him millions of dollars. The former House speaker has been accused of abusing at least five teenage boys but hasn’t been charged because the statute of limitations has expired. The sister of one of them, who is now deceased, is also expected to testify.
Scott Cross only made a decision to come forward when Hastert reached out to his older brother Tom for a letter of support for the sentencing hearing.
“We all have our flaws, but Dennis Hastert has very few”, Delay wrote in a letter to Durkin. As Buzzfeed reported, they and other lawmakers had written letters ahead of the sentencing defending him and highlighting his leadership in the House.
She turned toward Hastert and said, “Don’t be a coward. tell the truth”.
“I will make you accountable for molesting my brother”.
Hastert, an Illinois Republican, served in Congress from 1987 to 2007, and is the longest-serving House speaker, holding that post from 1999 to 2007.
Attorney Thomas Green spoke Wednesday at a sentencing hearing in Hastert’s hush-money case.
There is also “Individual A” who remains anonymous.
Our sense of this case is that Hastert probably would have avoided jail time on the bank law felony alone.
“He sexually abused me”. Hastert allegedly wanted to ensure “Individual A” stayed silent about being abused by Hastert when the victim was only 14 years old.
The payments meant to cover up sex abuse allegations from the time he was a high school wrestling coach and teacher in Yorkville, Illinois decades ago.
Hastert pleaded guilty in October to evading federal banking requirements. Because Hastert breached the agreement, the man is now seeking $1.8 million.
Hastert was not sentenced for his action back when he was at Yorkville, but rather for a bank fraud case where he illegally structured bank withdrawals to pay hush money to “Individual A”.
He also said he sought professional help in years since and has had trouble sleeping, but it still causes him suffering.
Advertisement
“When the judge asked Hastert directly if he had sexually abused Cross, “Hastert said he could not remember, but he did acknowledge [Cross”] statement”, David reports.
