News Local/State

Victim Says Hastert ‘A Monster’ Protected By Child Abuse Law

by The Associated Press, with Additional Reporting from Illinois Public Media
 
In this April 27, 2016, file photo, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse in Chicago.

In this April 27 file photo, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse in Chicago. Hastert reported to the Rochester Federal Center in Minnesota, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, to begin serving his 15-month sentence in a hush-money case. Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

A man who says Dennis Hastert sexually abused him decades ago told Illinois lawmakers the former U.S. House speaker was "a monster'' who was protected by the statute of limitations and wasn't appropriately punished. Scott Cross made the comments Tuesday during a hearing with lawmakers considering legislation to remove the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases.

Thirty-seven states already have no statute of limitations on those crimes.
 
Hastert was sentenced in April to 15 months in prison for violating banking laws while trying to silence one of four victims identified by prosecutors. But the statute of limitations prevented prosecutors from charging him with sex abuse.
 
Lawmakers have four similar proposals pending that would eliminate Illinois' statute of limitations for sexually abusing children. No votes were taken Tuesday. 

One of the measures, Senate Bill 3402, is sponsored by Scott Bennett (D-Champaign.)

“Victims of sexual abuse, especially minors, may have a very difficult time confronting their abusers and reporting a crime,” he said, in a press release. “In instances where abuse is revealed years after the crime has been committed, our legal system should help victims secure justice – not turn them away.”