And he asked the judge to set a date for a change of plea.
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Hastert then told the Federal Bureau of Investigation he was keeping the cash for himself, which the indictment said was a false statement.
Court papers say he was taking out the money because he agreed to pay a mystery man identified only as “Individual A” a few $3.5 million in hush money to hide “prior misconduct”.
The charges may be connected to his history as a teacher and wrestling coach in Illinois in the 1970s.
Cheryl reports that a plea agreement would allow Hastert to avoid a trial.
Since the details of the plea deal were not announced in court on Thursday, it’s unclear specifically what he will plead to. Since Hastert – again, according to the indictment – actually used the money to pay off Individual A, that meant he made “materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The charges facing Hastert carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Judge Thomas Durkin heard the case Thursday morning in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
According to the indictment, Hastert withdrew $1.7 million in cash from his bank accounts from 2010 to 2014.
The question of how to address motive is probably another sticking point, he added.
Hastert pleaded not guilty in June to one count each of evading currency reporting requirements and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and remains free on his own recognizance. The final deal will be handed to the judge on Monday after a few last-minute discussions between the defense and prosecutors.
“Yeah”, Hastert told the agents, the indictment said. “I am sure they are all embarrassed and sad and mad”.
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Sentencing hearings are also the chance, in most criminal cases, for victims to step forward and talk about the effect of a crime on their lives. Hastert’s lead attorney, Thomas C. Green, has argued that the allegations in the media of past sexual misconduct – which he blamed on government leaks – could undermine Hastert’s right to a fair trial. At a hearing in July, Green called the anonymously sourced reports of sexual abuse the “800-pound gorilla” in the room. But they could have felt pressure to offer at least a few details about any past misconduct in explaining why Hastert acted as he did.
