Dennis Hastert, longest-serving Republican House Speaker and convicted child molester, dies at 84
The late House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) was an accidental speaker.And it was a sheer accident that the world learned a dark secret about Hastert, years after he left Capitol...
By Fox News · Fox News
The late House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) was an accidental speaker. And it was a sheer accident that the world learned a dark secret about Hastert, years after he left Capitol Hill. It was twenty years ago, almost to the date. House Republicans were on the verge of losing their majority in the 2006 midterms. And their Speaker, Dennis Hastert, was in meltdown. HIGHEST-RANKING US OFFICIAL TO EVER SERVE JAIL TIME, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER DENNIS HASTERT DEAD AT 84 Word had just broken that then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) had sent inappropriate messages to high school-age male teens, serving as House pages. The Republican-led House was meeting on September 29, 2006, trying to escape town so the GOP could defend their majority. But nothing was going right for Republicans. The public was growing weary of President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq . Democrats were poised to retake the House in November. Yours truly and Deirdre Walsh — then of CNN — spotted the portly Hastert lumbering across Statuary Hall toward the Speaker’s office. "Did he call you?" Walsh asked Hastert about Foley. "What are you going to do about it?" I inquired. "We’ll talk about that shortly," mumbled Hastert under his breath, his wide glasses nearly tumbling over the bridge of his nose as he huffed into the Speaker’s suite. An hour later, Hastert, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and other top Republicans convened a brief press conference to tout a national security bill they just passed. The legislation was designed as the GOP sendoff as lawmakers went home to campaign. "Ok, we’ll take questions. Only on the bill," instructed Frist. "Only on the bill." No one even squeaked. Finally, I piped up. "We have questions about other subjects," I announced, determined to ask about Foley. "Alright," said Frist, shoving back from the table. The Tennessee Republican knew what was coming. Frist was happy he wouldn’t have to address Foley. That was something for Hastert. Especially since Frist pla…