CHICAGO (AP) — The latest on the federal hush-money case against former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (all times local):
8:50 a.m.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert has pleaded guilty in a hush-money case, in a deal with prosecutors that calls for him to serve up to six months in prison.
Hastert pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
The plea marks the fall from grace of a politician who rose from obscurity in rural Illinois to become second in the line of succession to the presidency.
An indictment issued in May says the 73-year-old Republican agreed to pay someone referred to only as “Individual A” $3.5 million to hide past misconduct by Hastert.
The Associated Press and other media have cited anonymous sources in reporting the payments were to conceal claims of sexual misconduct.
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7:40 a.m.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert has arrived at Chicago’s downtown federal court where he is expected to plead guilty in a hush-money case.
Hastert walked past dozens of reporters and camera crews who took his picture as he entered the building Wednesday morning. Inside the court he went through metal detectors with his attorneys. He arrived about an hour ahead of his scheduled plea hearing.
The hearing will be the 73-year-old Republican’s first court appearance since entering his initial not guilty plea in June.
An indictment accused him of agreeing to pay $3.5 million to someone referred to only as “Individual A” to hide past misconduct by Hastert against that person.
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1 a.m.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is scheduled to plead guilty Wednesday in his hush-money case as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
The hearing in Chicago federal court will be the 73-year-old Republican’s first court appearance since entering his initial not guilty plea in June.
An indictment accused him of agreeing to pay $3.5 million to someone referred to only as “Individual A” to hide past misconduct by Hastert against that person.
The Associated Press and other media have reported that the payments were meant to conceal claims of sexual misconduct.
A guilty plea would seal the downfall of a man who rose from obscurity in rural Illinois to the nation’s third-highest political office. Political analyst Dick Simpson says Hastert’s lucrative lobbying career would also be ruined.
