Ex-speaker Hastert's portrait removed from House hall
- 9 years ago
New Speaker Paul Ryan has had a portrait of Dennis Hastert removed from a hallway outside the House chamber, just days after the former speaker pleaded guilty to breaking banking laws in a hush money scheme. Ryan himself declined to comment as he entered the House chamber late Monday.
Hastert, 73, pleaded guilty last Wednesday to evading banking laws. He acknowledged in a written agreement that he tried paying someone $3.5 million to hide misconduct decades ago, around the period he was a high school wrestling coach.
Anonymous sources have told The Associated Press that the payments were meant to hide claims of sexual misconduct. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 29.
Hastert was indicted in May, but Boehner did not have the picture taken down. Hastert was speaker from 1999 to 2007, longer than any other Republican has held that post.
Hastert, 73, pleaded guilty last Wednesday to evading banking laws. He acknowledged in a written agreement that he tried paying someone $3.5 million to hide misconduct decades ago, around the period he was a high school wrestling coach.
Anonymous sources have told The Associated Press that the payments were meant to hide claims of sexual misconduct. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 29.
Hastert was indicted in May, but Boehner did not have the picture taken down. Hastert was speaker from 1999 to 2007, longer than any other Republican has held that post.