Former Illinois congressman Dennis Hastert, who served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, died of natural causes at his Yorkville home on Saturday, the Kendall County coroner said. He was 84.
Speaker tenure and legislative achievements
Hastert rose from a little‑known state legislator to the top of the House after Newt Gingrich stepped down amid ethics concerns and a poor Republican showing in the 1998 midterms. As speaker, he presided over the House during the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton and later helped shepherd the Republican‑controlled Congress to pass President George W. Bush’s agenda, including the massive 2001 tax cuts and a sweeping expansion of prescription‑drug benefits that represented the biggest change to Medicare in decades.
Criminal case and prison sentence
In 2015, prosecutors alleged that Hastert had evaded banking regulations to funnel hush‑money payments intended to conceal prior misconduct. Court filings later revealed that the misconduct involved the sexual abuse of teenage wrestlers he coached from 1965 to 1981. Hastert pleaded guilty to violating banking laws and was sentenced in 2016 to 15 months in federal prison, becoming one of the highest‑ranking elected officials ever incarcerated.
According to court documents, Hastert paid more than $1.7 million of a promised $3.5 million to an individual identified only as “Individual A.” The payments were made in cash, sometimes in $100,000 lump sums. During sentencing, the judge called Hastert a “serial child molester.” Hastert issued a statement expressing deep shame and acknowledging he had mistreated some of his athletes, though he did not directly label the conduct as sexual abuse.
Early life, career, and post‑congressional work
Born in Aurora, Illinois, Hastert earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton College in 1964 and a master’s in education from Northern Illinois University in 1967. He coached high school wrestling, leading his team to a state championship and earning national coach of the year honors in 1976. After a 16‑year coaching career, he entered politics, winning a congressional seat in 1986 and eventually becoming speaker.
Following his resignation from Congress in 2007, Hastert worked as a senior adviser for the lobbying firm Dickstein Shapiro, focusing on government law and strategy. Wheaton College once named its public policy center after him, but removed his name in 2015 after his indictment.
Family and legacy
Hastert lived his entire adult life in the Chicago suburbs, primarily in Yorkville. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and two adult sons. While many remembered him for his calm demeanor and willingness to work across the aisle, his criminal conviction and the revelations of abuse have permanently marred his public record.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
