Dennis Hastert, longtime Republican House speaker who went to prison, dies at age 84
Former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert has died at age 84. His political career, once defined by his role as the longest-serving GOP speaker, was later overshadowed by his conviction for covering up the sexual abuse of teenage boys.
Why it matters
His death marks the end of a complex political legacy that serves as a cautionary tale regarding institutional power and personal misconduct.
Dennis Hastert, whose political legacy as Congress' longest-serving Republican House speaker was later fouled by allegations that he had molested high school athletes during his prior career as a teacher and wrestling coach, has died, a coroner said Monday. He was 84.
Hastert, who was speaker from 1999 until 2007, died Saturday of natural causes at his home while receiving hospice care, according to Kendall County Coroner Jacquie Purcell.
When he was sentenced in 2016 to more than a year behind bars, the former history teacher became one of the highest-ranking American politicians ever ordered to prison.
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