Dennis Hastert, Former House Speaker, Dies at 84
Hastert, who served as Speaker from 1999 to 2007, became the highest-ranking U.S. official to serve jail time.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., died at his home on Monday at the age of 84, according to the Purcell County Coroner’s office. His death was attributed to natural causes.
Hastert served as Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007, making him the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history. His tenure in Congress concluded with a conviction for federal banking crimes, for which he became the highest-ranking U.S. official to ever serve jail time.
Hastert's path to Speakership was unexpected. He became Speaker in 1999 following the resignation of Speaker Newt Gingrich and the subsequent withdrawal of Bob Livingston, who was slated to take the gavel. Hastert, then a backbencher, was selected by House Republicans.
During his time as Speaker, Hastert faced criticism in late 2006 for his handling of the scandal involving then-Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who sent inappropriate text messages to teenage House pages. This controversy contributed to the end of the House page program and coincided with Democrats regaining control of the House in the 2006 midterm elections, ending Hastert's Speakership. He resigned from Congress in 2007.
Known to colleagues as "Coach" due to his wrestling background, Hastert cultivated an image as a reserved figure who preferred listening over speaking and often avoided the press.
In 2015, Hastert's career took a significant downturn when federal banking regulators flagged unusual cash withdrawals. These transactions revealed that Hastert had been paying millions of dollars in hush money to the family of a student he had sexually abused in the 1970s. He admitted in court to having "mistreated athletes" and "taken advantage of him." The judge presiding over his banking crime case referred to him as a "serial child molester." Hastert served 13 months of a 15-month sentence at a facility in Minnesota, though he did not face criminal charges for the sexual abuse itself.
Hastert also introduced the "Hastert Rule," which stipulated that legislation would not be brought to the House floor unless it had the support of a majority of House Republicans. This practice continued to influence House Republican strategy for years after his departure from Congress, though the term became less favored after his conviction.