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| HASTERT: Proceedings continue |
The
implication being that these men came up with ailments so as to appeal to the
sympathy of the court that could theoretically have sent them way to prison for
lengthy stints.
NOW
I’M SURE some people are going to be grossly offended at my bringing this up
upon learning that one-time House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert’s attorneys are now
saying he nearly died from assorted ailments back in November.
It
was that claim, and the need to have Hastert’s cooperation in preparing his
defense, that got his attorneys to ask for a delay in his sentencing.
For
the record, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin on Thursday rescheduled the
sentencing hearing for Hastert to April 8. Although news accounts of Thursday’s
court hearing indicate federal prosecutors are concerned the sentencing may be
delayed too long.
Now
I don’t know first-hand the extent to how ill the 74-year-old Hastert was back
in November, or is now. But you just know that for every person now offended
with me for bringing this up, there probably are two or three who are having
the same exact thought.
IS
THE HASTERT case going to drag out into a legal circus far worse than the mere
facts of the case usually would warrant – just because of whom Denny is or what
it is he is alleged to have really done?
Considering
that Hastert supposedly is facing the prospect of up to six months in a federal
corrections facility if he ultimately pleads guilty, could this case have long
been settled if not for maneuvering that is dragging it out longer and longer
than it ought to be?
This
desire for a delay only adds to the circus atmosphere, and the expense to the
judicial system brought about by the U.S. attorney’s desire to “put away” one
of the few Illinois politicos ever to reach the rank of speaker of the U.S.
House of Representatives.
This
is a case that already has many people upset, particularly because the
perception is out there that Hastert will someday be able to plead guilty to
financial infractions whereas many people want “the dirt” about whether he did
something sexual with a teenage boy back when Denny was a high school wrestling
coach!
PROSECUTORS
SAY THAT Hastert made significant payoffs of his own money to one of his former
students decades after the two were involved in each others lives. In short,
after Hastert wasn’t a political person and actually had significant money to
spend as part of his post-political, lobbyist life.
Because
some of those payments involved withdrawals from bank accounts in large amounts
– violating federal laws requiring such withdrawals to be reported immediately
to the government – Hastert is alleged to have committed a crime.
But
that’s all he’s facing. Prosecutors say the allegations about Hastert and the
boy are too old to investigate, and aren’t really relevant to the financial
crime that intrigues them.
I’ve
written previously that the people who are interested in this case solely as a
sex crime are going to be frustrated. They’re not going to get the titillation
they desire.
BUT
THE LONGER that the Hastert camp drags this out, the more outrage there
ultimately will be felt by whatever outcome this court case brings about.
I
almost wish Hastert would just enter his “guilty” plea and serve his sentence,
so that we can all move on.
Besides,
then he could do his time and try to go the Dan Rostenkowski route of a
political elder statesman with a touch of taint to his story – and could wind
up getting a presidential pardon someday down the road if the GOP actually
manages to regain the White House come November.
And was more fortunate than that one character from "Casino," the one who died of a heart attack on-the-spot upon being told by FBI agents he faced federal indictment and that it was his own records that would provide significant evidence against he and his crime colleagues.
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