Hastert slated to plead guilty in federal hush-money case

[Zorro]

Source: AP

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is scheduled to plead guilty Wednesday in a $3.5 million hush-money case after agreeing to a deal with prosecutors about charges that he violated federal banking laws and lied to the FBI.

The change-of-plea hearing will be the longtime GOP leader's first court appearance since his arraignment in June, when he pleaded not guilty in the same courtroom in Chicago. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars.

A May 28 indictment accused Hastert of handing as much as $100,000 in cash at a time to someone referred to only as "Individual A" to ensure past misconduct by Hastert against the person never became public.

The Associated Press and other media, citing anonymous sources, have reported that the payments were meant to conceal claims of sexual misconduct decades ago.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/hastert-slated-plead-guilty-federal-hush-money-case-055603929.html

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A fine example of Republican values.

[Botany]

1. Remember in the 1990s when Hastert went after Bill Clinton?

During the 1990s, Hastert remained a firm advocate of impeachment, at one point condemning the president for his "inability to abide by the law." Hastert stressed, "The evidence in President Clinton's case is overwhelming that he has abused and violated the public trust."

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/06/02/dennis-hastert-impeachment-and-why-the-clintons/203845

[asjr]

2. I will be very surprized if he spends one month in jail.

[Botany]

6. It started with Joe McCarthy but much of the Republican party has been attack dogs .....

.... since Bill Clinton was elected President with non stop hearings and calls for impeachment
on one trumped charge or another and Denny Hastert was more then willing to go along w/
their smear the other side campaign and our "liberal media" is more then willing to help in
this scam. Maureen Dowd's column today.

"Maureen Dowd commentary: Clinton bested attackers, but questions remain."

As a kid years ago in a middle class neighborhood in NW PA our next door neighbor was
the county DA and his brother was the state's governor, Ray Shafer. He was a good and
decent man who played w/us kids, supported public education from k-12 along with colleges
too, was for civil rights, the environment, infrastructure, unions, and he was a republican
too. Denny Hastert and the hunting of the Clintons is an example of how the republican party
has morphed into an overall force for being nasty.

sorry about the

[asjr]

7. Rant all you like. I've lost friends because of my ranting.

as a son used to say "She's been around since God was in short pants. Better listen to her." But I do think our country started its downhill run during and after Bill Clinton's presidency. The Republicans put on their wolf clothing and scared everyone.

[Zambero]

5. The REAL Hastert Rule comes to light

Go after political opponents who have committed far lesser offenses than your own.

[NurseJackie]

3. Will Hastert eventually be charged with sexually molesting boys?

[Eugene]

4. Former House Speaker Hastert pleads guilty in federal hush-money case

Source: Reuters

US | Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:06am EDT

Former House Speaker Hastert pleads guilty in federal hush-money case

CHICAGO

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges of evading bank rules about large cash transactions in a deal reached with prosecutors in a hush-money case stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct.

Federal prosecutors recommended a sentence of zero to six months in prison for Hastert, but the judge said he could potentially sentence him to up to a maximum of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced in February.

The plea marks a dramatic downfall for someone who once ranked among the country's most powerful politicians.

(Reporting by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/28/us-usa-crime-hastert-idUSKCN0SM17Z20151028