UNITED STATES
Albuquerque Journal
By Diane Dimond / Crime and Justice | Diane@DianeDimond.com
Saturday, July 22nd, 2017
Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert cut a pitiful figure this week as he left a federal prison in Minnesota and his wheelchair stuck on a bump in the sidewalk. His wife, fumbling at his side trying to manage his aluminum walker and other items, wasn’t immediately able to help him over the hurdle. The just-released prisoner was momentarily stuck. Pathetic for a man who was once second in line to the presidency of the United States.
I didn’t feel sorry for him one bit. Hastert is one of the worst kind of criminals in my book. He robbed children of their innocence and damaged their futures forever.
When Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison last April, the judge called him “a serial child molester” and noted he had sexually abused at least four members of the wrestling team at Yorkville High School in suburban Chicago from 1965 to 1981. I’m betting there were more young boys who fell victim to coach Hastert’s lust. Preferential serial child molesters rarely stop at four.
But Hastert was not convicted of sexually abusing children because the statute of limitations in Illinois had long since run out. In that state, a victim has 20 years from their 18th birthday to report a sex crime and Hastert’s popular position in the community back in the day had been enough to keep all his victims quiet – for decades.
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