Dennis Hastert, Former Republican House Speaker, Dies at 84

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who represented Illinois in Congress for 20 years, has died at the age of 84. Hastert served as the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history, holding the position from 1999 to 2007.

Kendall County Coroner Jacquie Purcell confirmed to CBS News that Hastert died of natural causes at his Illinois home over the weekend. No further details were released.

After leaving office, Hastert's political legacy was overshadowed by allegations of sexual abuse against teenage boys during his time as a wrestling coach before entering politics. He pleaded guilty to a banking charge related to hush money payments intended to conceal this past misconduct. This led to him becoming the highest-ranking elected official to serve a prison sentence, spending 13 months incarcerated.

In court in 2016, Hastert apologized for his actions, stating, "I wanted to apologize for the boys I mistreated when I was their coach." He acknowledged that "What I did was wrong, and I regret it. They looked to me, and I took advantage of them." He also noted he was "struggling to come to terms with events that occurred almost four decades ago."

Born in Aurora, Illinois, in 1942, Hastert grew up in a farming community. He studied economics at Wheaton College and earned a teaching degree from Northern Illinois University. Before his political career, he spent 16 years as a teacher and wrestling coach, earning Illinois Coach of the Year honors in 1976.

Following his service in the Illinois legislature, Hastert was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. He steadily rose through the Republican ranks, becoming chief deputy whip in 1995. He unexpectedly ascended to the speakership after Newt Gingrich's resignation and the withdrawal of his successor, Bob Livingston, leading to Hastert being nicknamed the "accidental speaker."

As Speaker, Hastert collaborated with President George W. Bush on the Republican agenda. He is also associated with the informal "Hastert Rule," which generally prevented legislation from being brought to the House floor unless it had majority support among House Republicans.

Hastert departed leadership after Republicans lost the House majority in the 2006 midterm elections and resigned from Congress in 2007. He subsequently worked as a lobbyist and consultant.

In 2013, federal investigators began scrutinizing suspicious bank transactions involving Hastert. He was indicted in 2015 on charges of illegally structuring withdrawals to evade federal reporting requirements and lying to the FBI. Prosecutors revealed that the funds were intended to compensate an individual for misconduct that occurred during Hastert's coaching years.

In 2016, a federal judge sentenced him to prison, marking a significant conclusion to the public career of a politician who had once held one of Washington's most powerful positions.