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| FILE - In this March 5, 2008, file photo, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert speaks to lawmakers on the Illinois House of Representatives floor at the state Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Federal prosecutors have indicted Thursday, May 28, 2015, the former U.S. House Speaker on bank-related charges. |
Wheaton College says
former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has resigned from the board
of the Christian school's public policy and government center that bears
his name.
The resignation was the latest
fallout from a federal indictment accusing Hastert of violating banking
laws.
The indictment alleges Hastert was paying hush money to keep
someone silent about "prior misconduct."
The
college is home to the J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics,
Government and Public Policy. The center was established in 2007, when
Hastert stepped down from Congress after eight years as speaker.
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12:20 p.m. (CDT)
Plans
to honor former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert with a $500,000
statue at the Illinois Capitol were put on hold earlier this month after
he asked that they be shelved because of the state's budget crisis.
Illinois
House Speaker Michael Madigan filed legislation on May 5 to set aside
the money to honor Hastert, a former Republican Illinois congressman.
But
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown says Hastert called about a month ago
"and said he appreciated the recognition and honor, but asked us to
defer given the state's financial condition."
The legislation filed by Madigan, a Democrat, hasn't seen movement since May 14.
Hastert was indicted on federal charges Thursday that accuse him of violating banking laws.
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11 a.m. (CDT)
U.S.
Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois says anyone who knows former U.S. House
Speaker Dennis Hastert is "shocked and confused" by news of his
indictment.
The Republican says it's a "troubling development" and more details are needed.
Hastert,
a former Republican Illinois congressman, is accused of violating
banking laws as he withdrew money after agreeing to pay someone $3.5
million to pay someone to keep quiet about "past misconduct."
Kirk
released a statement released Friday morning, saying Hastert should be
given his day in court considering the serious accusations. Kirk says
his thoughts are with Hastert's family.
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10:30 a.m. (CDT)
The
U.S. attorney's office in Chicago says former U.S. House Speaker Dennis
Hastert has not been arrested following charges linked to allegations
he agreed to $3.5 million in hush money.
Prosecutors'
spokesman Kim Nerheim says an initial court date will be set soon by a
federal judge. A new court docket names U.S. District Thomas M. Durkin
as the presiding judge in the Illinois Republican's case.
Nerheim
says defendants are typically not arrested "unless they are considered a
flight risk." She declined to comment on details of Hastert's case.
Thursday's
indictment charges the 73-year-old with breaking banking laws as he
withdrew money to pay someone to keep quiet about "past misconduct."
He's also charged with lying to the FBI.
The indictment doesn't detail the alleged misconduct by Hastert.
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10:25 a.m. (CDT)
Officials
with the northern Illinois school district where former U.S. House
Speaker Dennis Hastert worked from 1965 to 1981 say no one has contacted
the district to report any misconduct involving him.
In
a statement released Friday, officials with Yorkville Community Unit
School District (hash)151 say they were made aware of the indictment
when it was released publicly on Thursday and they have no knowledge of
any alleged misconduct.
District officials say they'll cooperate in any investigation if asked by the U.S. Attorney's office.
