Dennis Hastert

[[File:Dennis_Hastert_109th_pictorial_photo.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Dennis Hastert]]{{uspolitics}}
'''Dennis Hastert''' {{lived|1942}} is a convicted rapist and <includeonly></includeonly>was a twenty year member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] {{rep|R|IL}} and Speaker of the House during the [[George W. Bush]] administration; he served as Speaker for eight years from 1999 to 2007, longer than any other Republican in history.<ref>Josh Gerstein (July 18, 2017). [https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/18/dennis-hastert-released-from-prison-240666 "Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert released from prison to halfway house"]. ''Politico''.</ref><ref>(June 1, 2006). [https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna13084269 "Hastert becomes longest-serving GOP speaker"]. ''NBC News'' (Associated Press).</ref> During his tenure as Speaker, he pushed through many controversial bills such as the [[No Child Left Behind]] Act, the [[USA Patriot Act]], and the Bush-era [[tax]] cuts.

He also instituted the "Hastert Rule", an informal House policy where he would only allow votes on bills that had the support of a majority of the [[Republican]] representatives, or what was called the "majority of the majority", although technically this meant that bills only supported by a minority of all House representatives (both parties) could be voted upon. 

Although he was reelected in 2006, the majority of the House switched to the Democrats that year, and rather than continue on as House Minority Leader, Hastert resigned to take a lucrative lobbying job, where he advocated for things such as increased [[coal]] mining and candy-flavored [[tobacco smoking|cigarettes]].

A champion of fiscal conservatism during his time on the Hill, he forced the State of [[Illinois]] to spend several million dollars on a special election just to select his replacement. For further irony, the Republican candidate (perennial candidate and dairy heir Jim "The Milk Dud" Oberweis) then lost both the special election and the next general election.

==Well, of course this happened==
In 2015, Hastert was indicted and arraigned for withdrawing too much money from his accounts without declaring the purpose for the withdrawals through a process called structuring,<ref>{{wpa|Structuring|Structuring}}</ref> an action made illegal by the Bank Secrecy Act<ref>{{wpa|Bank Secrecy Act|Bank Secrecy Act}}</ref> and enforcement of powered by, somewhat [[irony|ironically]], the [[USA Patriot Act]] (as a counter-[[terrorism]] measure).

Allegations have since surfaced that the money Hastert was withdrawing was hush money being used to pay off [[child sexual abuse|a boy he may have molested during his career as a high school wrestling coach]]. (He had, [[Haggard's Law|of course]], an extensive history as a legislative homophobe<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/06/01/republican-dennis-hastert-accused-of-paying-off-male-former-student/</ref> and had even [[hypocrisy|called for child molesters to face life imprisonment]].<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-lawmaker-record-met-20160413-story.html</ref>)

He initially pled not guilty but on 15 October 2015, his lawyer announced that he would enter a guilty plea on 28 October 2015 in order to avoid trial and publicity.<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-strikes-deal-hush-money-case-n445111</ref> He was jailed for the related banking offences,<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-sentencing-20160427-story.html</ref> as the statute of limitations has expired on the child molestation itself.<ref>http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/09/former-us-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-accused-of-molesting-four-boys</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:Chickenhawks]]
[[Category:Completely heterosexual]]
[[Category:Convicted felons]]
[[Category:Criminals]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Paedophilia]]
[[Category:United States politicians]]

Categories: Chickenhawks, Completely heterosexual, Convicted felons, Criminals, Former United States Representatives, Homophobes, Living people, Paedophilia, United States politicians