Ex-House Speaker Hastert expected to plead guilty in hush-money case
By Mary Wisniewski
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, once one of the most powerful men in the country, is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday in a hush-money case stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct from decades ago.
Hastert, 73, was charged by federal prosecutors in May with trying to hide large cash transactions as part of a payoff scheme and lying about it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Hastert pleaded not guilty to the charges in June but will appear for a change of plea hearing in Chicago federal court on Wednesday morning.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys have not said to which charge Hastert would plead guilty or whether his sentence might include incarceration. A plea deal may not allow Hastert to avoid jail time but does likely avoid the public release of potentially embarrassing information about the case.
Federal prosecutors have accused Hastert of agreeing to pay $3.5 million to an unidentified person from his hometown of Yorkville, Illinois, to conceal past misconduct. Hastert was a teacher at Yorkville High School in the 1960s and 1970s.
That person has not surfaced publicly but anonymous law enforcement sources have told several media outlets that Hastert was trying to cover up sexual abuse of a male student when he worked as a high school teacher and wrestling coach.
Hastert has been free on bond and has not spoken publicly since his indictment.
Hastert was the longest-serving Republican speaker, leading the House for eight years before leaving Congress in 2007 and becoming a lobbyist. Before becoming speaker, Hastert had supported the impeachment of President Bill Clinton for perjury regarding sexual conduct.
Each of the charges carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(Writing by Bill Trott Editing by xxxx xxxxx)
