[RJL]

Number one on my list would be Dennis Hastert coming to the aid of Democrats in the William Jefferson case.

All he had to do was stand back and let the Democrats choke on their "culture of corruption" attack, but no, Hastert snatched defeat from victory by protecting a Dem crook and claiming that Congress was above the law.

It's hard to be wrong on every point of an issue, but Dennis managed to do just that.

[VOA]

By defending Jefferson and his office, Hastert clearly gave the public
the impression that he was making sure the offices of Republicans couldn't
be entered under a valid subpoena.
The average Joe/Josephine surely wondered "What is it the Republicans
don't want to be seen in their offices?".

To the average American, Hastert sounded like Boss Tweed when it came
to the Jefferson affair.