Dennis Hastert, longest-serving Republican House Speaker, dies at 84

Dennis Hastert Dies at 84

Dennis Hastert, the nation’s longest-serving Republican House speaker whose eight-year tenure was later undone by criminal convictions and sexual abuse admissions, died over the weekend at his home in Plano, Illinois, according to Kendall County Coroner Jacquie Purcell. He was 84 years old and died of natural causes while in hospice care.

Hastert served as speaker from 1999 to 2007. During his time leading the House, he steered major legislative items for President George W. Bush into law, including large tax cuts and a major expansion of prescription drug benefits under Medicare. His political career began far from Washington in Kendall County, where he worked as a history teacher and wrestling coach at Yorkville High School before entering local and national politics.

Hastert Abused Athletes During Coaching Career

Behind his public accolades as a national coach of the year in 1976 lay a history of sexual abuse that prosecutors later uncovered. Federal prosecutors stated that Hastert sexually abused at least four team members between 1965 and 1981 during his 16-year coaching career.

In a 2015 plea agreement, Hastert admitted he agreed to pay $3.5 million to an individual identified in court papers as Individual A to keep past misconduct secret. A later lawsuit clarified that the payments were hush money tied to abuse that began when Individual A was 14 years old in a motel room on the way home from a wrestling camp. Hastert ultimately paid more than $1.7 million of that promised total, sometimes in lump sums of $100,000 cash.

Hastert Served Prison Time for Hiding Payments

Hastert was indicted for evading banking regulations and structuring cash withdrawals to hide the hush money payments from banks. At his 2016 sentencing hearing, Judge Thomas M. Durkin called Hastert a serial child molester and sentenced him to 15 months behind bars.

The federal prison term made Hastert one of the highest-ranking US politicians ever ordered to prison. In his own statement to the court, Hastert said he was deeply ashamed and admitted he mistreated some of his athletes. Following his indictment and conviction, institutions that once honored him distanced themselves. Wheaton College removed his name from its public policy center in 2015, and his official portrait was taken down from the hallway outside the House chamber.

Hastert Is Survived by Wife and Sons

Hastert lived his entire life in Chicago’s suburbs, growing up helping his father with the family feed business before his career in education and politics. Survivors include his wife, Jean, and two adult sons. No one answered the door at his home when reporters visited following news of his death.