I wonder why Hastert didn't get a lawyer to arrange a private, confidential legal settlement

[pnwmom]

with his accuser, as so many other men have done?

He was decades past any statute of limitations. And since he was paying off this guy anyway, why did he put himself in this position? Why not just get a lawyer and have him take care of it?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. Wouldn't that be hard to accomplish without attracting the gaze of the press?/NT

[pnwmom]

18. Private civil settlements can be sealed, as I understand it. n/t

[Solly Mack]

2. Probably because he can't admit what he's done to himself much less anyone else.

I'm sure we'll hear about how he behaved inexcusably and made mistakes. No doubt he'll even tell us he had a little talk with Jesus, and it's all good now.

[irisblue]

4. He's getting Duggard then

[Solly Mack]

8. Soon enough, Hastert will talk about how it's the media and liberals

behind it all.

[JI7]

3. it would mean more people would know about it

[gvstn]

5. I don't see how that is possible.

He privately goes to a lawyer has him draw up a settlement agreement without admitting any guilt, and an ironclad non-disclosure agreement. They both sign and he sends the guy a check according to the schedule in the settlement.

He's no longer in public office so his finances are his own business. It really would have protected him in ways his chosen procedure never could.

[NanceGreggs]

7. His lawyer would have been legally bound ...

... to not disclose the nature of the settlement with anyone. So would the accuser's lawyer, had he chosen to hire one to negotiate a settlement on his behalf.

So "more people knowing" would not have been an issue in this instance.

[Solly Mack]

9. If he was thinking rationally, yes.

I'm thinking Hastert wasn't the least bit rational when confronted. Some offenders, especially powerful and wealthy offenders, might have drawn up papers, able to compartmentalize the heinous actions.

There's more at play here, I think.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. Maybe his victim said "no lawyers"

At that point what are his options?

[gvstn]

13. The thing is it would have better for the victim too.

The victim has the same/oppposite problem has Hastert, you can't walk into a bank with $50,000 in cash every 6 weeks and deposit it without someone asking where it is coming from. Otherwise, there would be no need to launder money. That is the whole reason the mandatory reporting law was put into effect in the 70's to get a handle on drug money that was both illegal and not being taxed.

[former9thward]

15. Plenty of options.

First never ever talk to the FBI under any circumstances. They always try to twist your words and entrap you. That would avoided one of his charges. Second just tell the blackmailer to go to hell. Who is going to be believed? A former Speaker of the House or some random dude looking to make some money? No contest there.

[rocktivity]

21. But it's NOT LEGAL unless there's a lawyer involved.

If there weren't, Individual A is guilty of blackmail. And if Hastert had told the FBI that he was a VICTIM of blackmail, he'd be off the hook, too. I guess he decided that jail time would be lot less embarrassing...


rocktivity

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. He would have had to tell the feds the guy he is blackmailing him...

He would have had to tell the feds the guy who is blackmailing him is doing it because he diddled him when he was a kid. I don't believe he can still bring himself to say that.

[grasswire]

6. we are just lucky that someone didn't try to really black mail him...

....while he was in power. That would be a national security nightmare in certain scenarios.

[gvstn]

14. This FBI translator says he probably was

from 2009:

Among the specific charges she levels against current and former U.S. Congress Members in the deposition:

Dennis Hastert: "Several categories. The acceptance of large sums of bribery in forms of cash or laundered cash ... to make it look legal for his campaigns, and also for his personal use, in order to do certain favors ... make certain things happen for foreign entities and foreign governments' interests, Turkish government's interest and Turkish business entities' interests. ... other activities, too, including being blackmailed for various reasons. ... he used the townhouse that was not his residence for certain not very morally accepted activities. ... foreign entities knew about this, in fact, they sometimes participated in some of those not maybe morally well activities in that particular townhouse that was supposed to be an office, not a house, residence at certain hours, certain days, evenings of the week."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brad-friedman/fbi-whistleblower-hastert_b_277704.html

My personal impression of Washington is all these scandals are already known to the powers that be. They let these guys rise to a certain level and then they tell them to vote the way I want, write the legislation the way I want or everything you have worked for goes away and you are disgraced.

[grasswire]

17. ack!!

Horrible news.

[pnwmom]

19. Wow. I remember her testimony. I wonder if this will finally come out now. Thanks! n/t

[Luminous Animal]

10. Yep. Like Michael Jackson.

[Jesus Malverde]

16. Probably ashamed of having sex with men/boys...nt

[rocktivity]

20. I think it's because the blackmailer and the victim are NOT one and the same.

A former ally of Hastert, an ally/relative of the victim, or a witness to the abuse would be just as dangerous to Hastert as the actual victim -- especially if he possessed irrefutable evidence. It would also explain why no one has been charged with blackmailing Hastert as of yet, and why it took so long for the blackmailing to start.


rocktivity