Dennis Hastert Pleads Guilty in Hush-Money Case
Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to lying to the FBI in an investigation of $3.5 million in hush money he allegedly paid to cover up unspecified past misconduct—widely reported to be the sexual abuse of one his male students when he worked as a high school teacher.
Hastert isn’t formally charged with sexual abuse of the person named in the indictment as “Individual A.” He and the individual were both not required to testify in the case, and Hastert is expected not to have to disclose anything about the alleged misconduct as part of his plea deal.
The sister of the alleged victim, Steve Reinboldt, came forward publicly in June to accuse Hastert of inappropriate sexual contact with Reinboldt in the early 1970s.
“I asked him, when was your first same sex experience. He looked at me and said, ‘It was with Dennis Hastert,’” Jolene Burdge said on Good Morning America. “I was stunned.”
Reinboldt died of AIDS in 1995.
Hastert could face up to 6 months in prison—he faced up to 10 years before taking the plea. A sentencing hearing has been set for February 28, 2016.
