Dennis Hastert, longest-serving Republican House Speaker and convicted child molester, dies at 84
The Mark Foley scandal nearly ended Dennis Hastert's career, but federal investigators later uncovered far darker secrets about the former House Speaker.
TL;DR
- Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican House Speaker, died at the age of 84.
- Hastert's political career began accidentally, and his departure from office was linked to the Mark Foley scandal.
- Years after leaving Congress, federal investigators uncovered that Hastert had been paying hush money to conceal sexual transgressions with minors.
- He pleaded guilty to bank crimes and was declared a "serial child molester" by a federal judge.
- Hastert served 13 months of a 15-month sentence for his crimes.