Dennis Hastert paid to conceal sexual misconduct, sources say

L.A. Times ^ | 5/29/2015 | RICHARD A. SERRANO AND TIMOTHY M. PHELPS contact the reporters

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

If rumors are fact, no way should he skate.

That being said, he is charged with lying to feds and structuring, not sexual misconduct.

The indictment is worded to suggest the misconduct is of a sexual nature, otherwise why mention his teaching/coaching history? Why mention it at all? IOW, why not just say Ind A met with Hastert to discuss misconduct? The LATimes posted on Twitter within a few hrs sources suggested the misconduct was sexual.

This is where I have a problem with the story.

Suppose the misconduct had nothing to with a student, male or female? Suppose it happened totally outside of his teaching responsibilities and had nothing to do with sex? If so, he has been branded a pedophile regardless of facts.

What if rumors are true? Then charge him if still within the Statute of Limitations. Don't play word games and use sources to try and convict outside the courtroom.

My concerns have nothing to do with Hastert. I have no use for corrupt politicians or crooks. A 3.5 million payoff suggests something more than simple misconduct.

I see how the same tactics can be used on any of us. Tactics which could be used for anything, from simple leverage to completely destroying a reputation. Not the guilty I worry about, but the innocent.

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

My first reaction was ...why not Hillary being investigated, why not the IRS being investigated???

I had no problem defending him until I heard it was a teenage boy, if true much worse than if it was a teenage girl.

At any rate I will consider him innocent until proven guilty.

Still strange they are investigating him over the IRS. Hillary and Obama

[JohnBrowdie]

I notice that the IRS isn’t exactly breaking a leg sniffing out any of bent-dick-billy-clinton’s hush money.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I wonder if the blackmailer paid taxes on the money. Couldn’t be be charged with tax evasion in addition to blackmail?

[IamConservative]

That's a good name for it.

Freudian slip if there ever was one!

[Ken H]

Excellent malaprop!

One of my favorites was a person talking about how expensive McMansions were because of 'insurance, maintenance and the cost interior desecrators'.

[Ken H]

the cost of interior desecrators.

[22202NOVA]

At least he married her. She’s quite the looker too.

[Rainier1789]

Now Boner can safely abandon the “Hastert Rule”