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 20 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 â then of CNN â spotted the portly Hastert lumbering across Statuary Hall toward the speakers office.
“Did he call you?” Walsh asked Hastert about Foley.
“What are you going to do about it?” I inquired.
“Well 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 speakers 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, well 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 wouldnt have to address Foley. That was something for Hastert. Especially since Frist planned to run for president in 2008.
I inquired about Foley. Hastert muttered a non-answer which was barely usable for broadcast. He mumbled something about him not being “very happy” about Foley. But it was a soundbite from the speaker of the House on the scandal, right as a bloodied GOP hit the exits for the midterm campaign.
Someone then quickly adjourned the press conference. And that was it.
FORMER REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER DENNIS HASTERT DEAD AT 84
A few days later, local reporters in Illinois pressed Hastert about how he handled the Foley matter. Back in Washington, asked one of the speakers aides why Hastert â as a former teacher and coach â wasnt more aggressive protecting the teen pages.
We may have found out why years later.
Eighty-four-year-old Dennis Hastert died of natural causes over the weekend. The late speaker is one of the most ignominious figures in American politics.
He was the longest-serving Republican speaker in history, wielding the gavel from 1999 to 2007. Hastert stumbled into the speakership, rising thanks to the missteps of others. Yet despite his years in Congress, what we learned about Hastert nearly a decade after he left office revealed him to be one of the most grotesque persons to ever serve in Congress. In fact, Hastert is the h
