Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who led the chamber longer than any Republican in history, died at age 84. The Kendall County Coroner's Office in Illinois confirmed his death on Monday from natural causes at his home.
Hastert served as the 51st Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007. He represented Illinois in the House of Representatives from 1987 until his resignation in 2007, shortly after Democrats gained control of the chamber.
His political career ended in disgrace nearly a decade later when allegations surfaced that he had molested four teenagers in the 1970s while serving as a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois. The victims were aged 14 to 17.
The statute of limitations prevented sexual abuse charges, but Hastert pleaded guilty in 2015 to structuring cash withdrawals to conceal hush money payments to one of his accusers. U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin called him a "serial child molester" during sentencing in 2016. Hastert received 15 months in prison.
At the sentencing hearing, Hastert told the court he was "deeply ashamed" of his conduct. "I'm the only one responsible," he said. "I know I am here because I mistreated some of the athletes I coached."
One of his accusers, Scott Cross, spoke in court about the abuse he suffered during his senior year. "I've always felt that what Coach Hastert had done to me was my darkest secret," Cross said.
Hastert was released from prison in 2017, several weeks ahead of schedule. The court imposed restrictions barring him from being alone with children or possessing pornography. He was also required to pay a $250,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release.
During his time in Congress, Hastert strongly supported the Iraq War and championed then-President George W. Bush's tax cuts. He sponsored a Medicare prescription drug bill that passed in 2003, establishing an optional prescription drug benefit program that took effect in 2006.
Hastert drew frequently from his coaching background in his legislative approach. He became the namesake of the unofficial "Hastert Rule," an informal practice stating that the Speaker should only bring bills to the floor with support from a majority of the majority party.
