Hastert to plead guilty in hush money case

Posted on October 15, 2015

By Joe Ragusa

CHICAGO – Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert will plead guilty in his hush money case.

Lawyers for the Republican from Illinois told reporters in Chicago about Hastert’s intentions to plead guilty Thursday. U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin has set a hearing for Oct. 28 to finalize the plea deal.

Hastert is accused of skirting banking laws to pay an individual $3.5 million to keep quiet about “prior misconduct.” Multiple reports, citing anonymous sources, say Hastert was trying to conceal accusations of sexual molestation from his time as a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Yorkville from 1965 to 1981.

Details of the plea deal have not been released. By reaching a plea deal, Hastert would avoid going to trial and making details about his alleged misconduct public.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

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