Former US House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who rose to become the longest-serving Republican speaker in American history before a criminal case brought his political career crashing down, has died at the age of 84.
According to CBS News, Hastert died at his home in Illinois over the weekend from natural causes, Kendall County Coroner Jacquie Purcell confirmed on Monday.
No additional details about his death were immediately released.
Hastert represented Illinois in Congress for two decades, serving in the US House from 1987 to 2007.
He became speaker in 1999 and remained in the powerful position until Republicans lost control of the chamber following the 2006 midterm elections.
His political career, however, was later overshadowed by a scandal involving allegations of sexual abuse dating back to his years as a high school wrestling coach.
Who was Dennis Hastert?
Born in 1942 in Aurora, Illinois, Hastert grew up in a farming community and later attended Wheaton College, where he earned a degree in economics.
He subsequently earned a teaching degree from Northern Illinois University and spent 16 years teaching in Illinois while also coaching wrestling.
In 1976, Hastert was named Illinois Coach of the Year, marking an early achievement in a career that would eventually take him from the classroom to the highest levels of US politics.
He married Jean Kahl in 1973, and the couple had two sons.
Hastert later entered state politics before winning election to represent Illinois’ 14th Congressional District in 1986.
Hastert’s rise in Washington
Hastert served in the US House from 1987 until 2007, gradually rising through Republican ranks.
He was mentored by former House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel and became chief deputy whip in 1995.
In 1998, his political career took a major turn when House Speaker Newt Gingrich resigned from his leadership position.
Hastert emerged as the Republican conference’s second choice for speaker after Rep. Bob Livingston withdrew amid a scandal involving extramarital affairs.
Often described as an “accidental speaker,” Hastert went on to hold the position for nearly eight years, becoming the longest-serving Republican speaker in US history.
During his tenure, he worked closely with President George W. Bush and played a significant role in advancing the Republican administration’s legislative agenda.
One of his most lasting contributions to the House was the so-called “Hastert Rule.”
The informal principle holds that House Republican leaders should generally bring legislation to the floor only when it has the support of a majority of the majority party. Critics have argued that the practice contributed to increased partisanship in Congress.
Hastert left House leadership after Republicans lost their majority in the 2006 midterm elections and resigned from Congress in 2007.
Political career ends in scandal
After leaving Congress, Hastert worked as a lobbyist and consultant.
His life changed dramatically several years later when federal authorities began investigating his financial transactions.
In 2013, the FBI and IRS started examining suspicious cash withdrawals made by the former speaker.
Hastert was indicted in 2015 on charges of structuring bank transactions to avoid reporting requirements and making false statements to the FBI.
He later pleaded guilty to violating banking laws after making repeated large cash withdrawals.
Dennis Hastert sentenced to prison
In 2016, US District Judge Thomas M. Durkin sentenced Hastert to 15 months in federal prison, fined him $250,000 and ordered him to participate in a sex-offender treatment program.
Durkin described Hastert as a “serial child molester” during the sentencing.
Hastert ultimately served about 13 months in federal prison before being released in 2017.
