Former wrestler makes bad

[NJDan 462]

Ex-House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert Indicted on Federal Charges

 

The indictment says that Mr. Hastert, who was once a high school teacher and wrestling coach in a small Illinois town, paid $1.7 million to the person from 2010 to 2014.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/29/us/ex-house-speaker-j-dennis-hastert-indicted-on-federal-charges.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

[LHN94 82]

If you read the indictment his actual crime doesn't seem that bad, but what they seem to be implying about the prior bad act that he was making the payoff for does not look good.

[Chuck Schick 3]

I agree, sounds like he probably molested a kid.

[scribe 1,655]

That's a lot of money in the world of settlements.

[Cooch1 116]

Dennis Has Dirt is just one more high profile, revered name to go down the drain. "We" (wrestling) bring these people into our lives and Halls of Fame only to wind up regretting it. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell who's who. It's too tempting to jump on a band wagon and attach ourselves to a big name with lots of clout or money in the hope that somehow over the long run they'll be able to help wrestling merely by their association. Balloon deflated.

[Plasmodium 1,253]

This is an indictment of the FBI.  If your personal life involves money, you have to justify it to the FBI?  WTF?

[teach 144]

Why do they mention wrestling coach?  It wasn't his full time job?  They could have also said he fished, played golf, or read forums? I think people just like to get that wrestling jab in when they can.

[buck 45]

Big Cornell fan.

[swoopdown 444]

Mention of teaching and wrestling?- probably speculating regarding where he had contact with minors because the press is speculating that the blackmail-able offense was abuse.

[teach 144]

Mention of teaching and wrestling?- probably speculating regarding where he had contact with minors because the press is speculating that the blackmail-able offense was abuse.

speculating, of course... So it had to be because of his access to kids through wrestling.....  Not a neighbor, or when he coached football?

[swoopdown 444]

I am pretty suspicious of the press for many reasons, but I've never suspected them for a wrestling bias? I'd be interested in why you think this exists.

[teach 144]

Probably because I am reading too much into it!  but...... It just seems to me (and maybe it's more midwest?) that when ever people get a chance to take a jab at wrestling they do.  Maybe because of the close contact that the sport has, or the fact that some people really don't like the the touching and roughness?  I just feel like if something bad happens and the person happened to wrestle, that will be added.  They may have coached or played other sports but that isn't included.    Maybe wrestling really does define a personality?  I guess I have always felt I was a wrestler, even though I played other sports.   Sorry just in a bad mood today.

[jeffr_ideal 216]

This is pretty interesting call in.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/29/dennis-hastert-cspan_n_7469268.html

[pamela 1,090]

This is an indictment of the FBI.  If your personal life involves money, you have to justify it to the FBI?  WTF?

 

Because even if Hastert was merely gifting the money -- say, to a distant relative back home -- he was still evading reporting and taxation on those huge sums, saying instead that it was pocket money for himself. Of course that's going to raise all sorts of red flags with the federal authorities.

[paboom 204]

There have been some dirty dealings with him in the past.  How two school teachers in 1980 (husband and wife) become millionaires by the late 90's while working as a public official is what is wrong with our government and it is happening on both sides.  There is not a clean side in DC.

[Badger Fan 22]

While it could related to personal misconduct when he was a wrestling coach, It could also be related to a financial deal.

In the book "Throw Them All Out", there was a story about how Dennis Hastert bought some land cheap, and then passed a Congressional pork barrel project right next to the land, which dramatically increased the value of the land he purchased.  Whomever he bought that land from was probably pretty ticked off.  (Many other politicians are listed in this book by the way)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0547573146/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=3487107737&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7k28je5rps_e

[Jaroslav Hasek 1,773]

This is an indictment of the FBI.  If your personal life involves money, you have to justify it to the FBI?  WTF?

he's a public figure, he has no personal life. 

[jeffr_ideal 216]

I hope it was not one of his wrestlers that he molested, so they can disassociate wrestling from this story.  But the assumption right now seems to be tied to him being a wrestling coach. 

[Plasmodium 1,253]

he's a public figure, he has no personal life. 

Its not about him, per se.  He was treated as any person would have been.  He was not indicted for tax evasion or fraud, only for lying and failure to obtain government approval on how he spends a large sum of his cash.  Ironically, he was instrumental in passing legislation(Patriot act) that makes it easy to prosecute him.

[scribe 1,655]

I hope it was not one of his wrestlers that he molested, so they can disassociate wrestling from this story. But the assumption right now seems to be tied to him being a wrestling coach.

this is right now, a total disaster. Even if it never moves beyond allegations.

[Katie 639]

It seems like only yesterday that FILA honored Hastert and Rumsfeld at its "Evening With Legends" event. 

[HurricaneWrestling 1,122]

The AP is now reporting that Hastert was paying off "Individual A" to conceal sexual abuse.  Also, another individual has now come forward with similar allegations.

 

With regard to mentioning Hastert's tenure as a high school teacher and wrestling coach, that info was included in the federal indictment.  Therefore, its probably an indication of the time period/circumstances under which the abuse occurred.

Edited May 30, 2015 by HurricaneWrestling

[Katie 639]

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/dennis-hasterts-secret-gay-misconduct-is-even-worse-given-his-terrible-voting-record-on-gay-rights/

 

 

As a federal legislator, Hastert voted regularly against bills to empower gay people. In Congress from 1997 to 2007, Hastert voted for the so-called “Marriage Protection Act,” and in favor of a constitutional amendment to “establish that marriage shall consist of one man and one woman.” The year he stepped down, Hastert voted no on the â€œEmployment Non-Discrimination Act,” a bill to prohibit companies from discriminating against employees “on the basis of sexual orientation.”

 

* * * At a Christian Coalition meeting in 2004, Hastert told the audience that Republicans would push for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman. He said the amendment would send a “strong message to liberal activist judges.” * * * “We will not allow them to put our children’s future at risk because of their agenda for political correctness,” Hastert added.

 

* * * Hastert resigned as speaker of the House following allegations that he failed to report former Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) for inappropriate relationships with boys employed as pages at the U.S. Capitol.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Katie

[Coach_J 1,907]

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/dennis-hasterts-secret-gay-misconduct-is-even-worse-given-his-terrible-voting-record-on-gay-rights/

 

 

As a federal legislator, Hastert voted regularly against bills to empower gay people. In Congress from 1997 to 2007, Hastert voted for the so-called “Marriage Protection Act,” and in favor of a constitutional amendment to “establish that marriage shall consist of one man and one woman.” The year he stepped down, Hastert voted no on the â€œEmployment Non-Discrimination Act,” a bill to prohibit companies from discriminating against employees “on the basis of sexual orientation.”

 

Noting Hastert’s “deeply conservative” policy positions back in 1998, the Associated Press reported the “National Right to Life Committee, the Christian Coalition, the Chamber of Commerce, and the National Rifle Association all gave his voting record perfect scores of 100.”

Hastert resigned as speaker of the House following allegations that he failed to reportformer Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) for inappropriate relationships with boys employed as pages at the U.S. Capitol.

 

At a Christian Coalition meeting in 2004, Hastert told the audience that Republicans would push for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman. He said the amendment would send a “strong message to liberal activist judges.” â€œWe will not allow them to put our children’s future at risk because of their agenda for political correctness,” Hastert added. 

"...putting our children's future at risk...."  Um, sounding like being anywhere near Hastert was a risk to a young child's future.

[TripNSweep 367]

Didn't somebody on here used to work as an aide or in his office when he was a congressman?