Free Republic

How the Federal Government & Big Media Collude in the Deep State Since Donald Trump introduced “The Swamp,” it’ become American slang for the corrupt and secretive underbelly of the Washington, D.C. Deep State. One Swamp secret is the whole truth of Denny Hastert’ life as a pederast. And, we are unlikely to ever know it—the whole truth. John Dennis Hastert (DOB: January 2, 1942) quit his high school teaching and coaching position in Yorkville, Illinois, held from 1965-1981, to become a politician. Eventually, from 1999-2007, he was the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in American...

As far-left MSNBC hosts go--an admittedly low bar--I'll admit to having found Chris Hayes a relatively fair and decent proponent of his misguided policies. But he did two things tonight that made me lose respect for him. First, he literally laughed in the face of Rick Tyler, calling "preposterous" his depiction of Donald Trump as a "northeastern liberal progressive." This despite Trump's record of donating to . . . northeastern liberal progressives and describing himself, among other things, as "very pro-choice." Would Hayes ever be so rude to a liberal guest? Even worse when it comes to hypocrisy, it is...

CHICAGO —A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert to 15 months in federal prison — a term above what even prosecutors had recommended and one that clearly takes into account the sexual abuse allegations that generated the criminal case against the Illinois Republican. The sentencing marked an ignominious moment in the life of a man who was once a revered high school teacher and wrestling coach in Illinois and who ascended into the highest ranks of American politics. Even before the hearing, prosecutors had revealed in court filings how Hastert allegedly had molested or inappropriately...

Denny Hastert — the former House speaker now indicted for violating regulations on bank withdrawals that were originally meant to snare drug dealers — was a man of integrity according to his former House colleagues. By the sketchy standards of Illinois politics, that might well have been true. But his fall from grace should prompt other questions about how a former high-school teacher who held elective office from 1981 to 2007 could leave Congress with a fortune estimated at $4 million to $17 million. When he entered Congress in 1987, he was worth at most $275,000. Hastert was the...

A cloud of scandalous allegations is rapidly growing over Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), putting Democratic leaders in a difficult position as the integrity of their immigration point man in the Senate falls under question at a critical time. The bad news keeps coming: a Senate Ethics probe, allegations involving underage prostitutes, an FBI investigation of a key campaign donor, undisclosed flights on the donor’s private plane, and now, reports linking Menendez to a multi-million dollar contract he helped obtain for the disgraced donor. Menendez denies nearly all of it. But it couldn’t come at a worse time for the new...

Former U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert speaks at St. Xavier University in Chicago Wednesday, March 21, 2012. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media There were jabs at Newt Gingrich, kudos for Mitt Romney, connections between driving a school bus and serving as speaker of the U.S. House and opinions on the wars in the Middle East. Denny Hastert, who went from teacher and wrestling coach at Yorkville High School to become the longest-serving Republican House Speaker ever, shared thoughts as wide-ranging as his background last week in a speech at St. Xavier University in Chicago. Hastert, who was raised...

Republican Jim Gibbons, a former college wrestling coach who is challenging Democratic Rep. Leonard L. Boswell , held a fundraiser with former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) that some of Gibbons’ opponents say is evidence that he is the choice of GOP political insiders. Gibbons’ campaign said that Hastert, a wrestling enthusiast who represented a district in neighboring Illinois from 1987 through 2006, helped Gibbons raise money from more than 100 people who either attended the event or contributed beforehand. Gibbons’ campaign declined to say how much it raised from the event, which was held at the Des Moines home...

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2006 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes: 1. Jack Abramoff, Former Lobbyist – 2. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 3. Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) 4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) 5. Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) 6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) 7. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) 8. Rep. William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) 9. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) 10. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) 6 Dishonorable Mentions: 1. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) 2....

Hastert Will Step Down Exclusive: The Speaker bows out of the Republican leadership after Democrats take his power. The contest to succeed him will help define the Republican Party in a new era of divided government. By MIKE ALLEN/WASHINGTON House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will not seek reelection to the Republican leadership when his members return as a minority party after taking heavy losses in Tuesday's elections, a Republican official tells TIME. Hastert, 64, a low-key former high school wrestling coach, was beloved by members as a "good cop," compared to the enforcer style of the longtime number two leader,...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) today commented on tomorrow's White House signing of the Secure Fence Act passed by the Republican Congress. "Our borders constitute the first line of defense in protecting the American people from terrorists. Last July I met with border security agents and other federal and local officials during my visit to the border, and I promised them we would address this national security crisis. The Republican Congress has responded to the American people's demand for a secure border by increasing the physical barriers and infrastructure along the...

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress, ABC News has learned from high level official sources. Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government. Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes. The other tribes were represented by convicted...

President Bush approved 70 of 74 of the WMD Commission recommendations for improving national security, with at least one still under review. India's Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee met with VP Cheney and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld in Washington. Scott McClellan's press briefing link. Welcome to Sanity Island!

With Americans facing increasingly higher prices at the gas pump, it is more crucial than ever that we take steps to diversify our energy sources and curb our dependence on foreign oil. The House of Representatives this week will take up an energy bill that will go a long way toward giving our nation the sound, comprehensive energy policy that our citizens need and deserve. Unfortunately, opponents are doing their best to obstruct America's prosperity. The House has passed energy legislation three times. Each time it has been blocked for political sportsmanship. Meanwhile, Americans are finding it more and more...

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) has some unsolicited advice for the House and Senate leadership and fellow congressional Republicans, and it isn’t “You’re doing a fantastic job.” The irrepressible Newtster, who led House Republicans to the promised land in 1995 after 40 years in the political wilderness before he was ignominiously sacked in 1999, thinks Denny Hastert and Tom DeLay & Co. should quit being control freaks and Bill Frist should crack the whip a little more on Senate Republicans. “In my view, the Senate is too loose and the House is too tight,” Gingrich said Monday as he...

New York, N.Y. — Let me lead off the way the Republican convention led off: with former New York mayor Ed Koch (who introduced the current mayor, Michael Bloomberg). In the 1980s, Bob Novak called Koch "the most interesting politician in America." I think I agreed with that. Koch has, if anything, grown more interesting. His Republican convention speech — here — was utterly charming. It stated plainly that he is supporting President Bush. Koch is a 9/11 Democrat — a Democrat profoundly and properly influenced by that day. The actor Ron Silver is a 9/11 Democrat too (and more...