Hastert Attorney Says Former Speaker Intends To Plead Guilty
In this June 9, 2015, file photo, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, right, departs the federal courthouse with attorney Thomas C. Green in Chicago. Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
An attorney for Dennis Hastert has told a federal judge that the former House speaker intends to plead guilty in a federal hush-money case. John Gallo said during a brief hearing Thursday that he expects to have a written plea agreement by Monday.
And he asked the judge to set a date for a change of plea. The judge scheduled an Oct. 28 hearing. Gallo did not mention any of the terms, including what counts Hastert would plead guilty to.
A plea deal would avert a trial and help keep any potentially embarrassing secrets quiet.
The 73-year-old Illinois Republican is charged with breaking banking laws and lying to the FBI in efforts to pay someone $3.5 million to hide claims of past misconduct.
The Associated Press and other media, citing anonymous sources, have reported the payments were meant to conceal claims of sexual misconduct decades ago.