Dennis Hastert

Dennis Hastert
Name	Dennis Hastert
Caption	Official portrait, 1999
Order	51st
Office	Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Term start	January 6, 1999
Term end	January 3, 2007
Predecessor	Newt Gingrich
Successor	Nancy Pelosi
Office1	House Republican Conference Chairman
Term start1	January 3, 1995
Term end1	January 3, 1999
Leader1	Newt Gingrich
Predecessor1	Dick Armey
Successor1	J. C. Watts
State2	Illinois
District2	14th
Term start2	January 3, 1987
Term end2	November 26, 2007
Predecessor2	John E. Grotberg
Successor2	Bill Foster
Party	Republican
Birth date	2 January 1942
Birth place	Aurora, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	Wheaton College, Northern Illinois University
Occupation	Teacher, coach, politician
Spouse	Jean Kahl, 1973

Dennis Hastert served as the 51st Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history. First elected to the U.S. House from Illinois's 14th congressional district in 1986, his tenure as Speaker was marked by the passage of major legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. His legacy was permanently marred by a later federal conviction for financial crimes related to attempts to conceal past sexual abuse.

Early life and education

He was born in Aurora, Illinois, and raised on a farm in nearby Oswego. He attended Oswego High School, where he was a standout wrestler, before enrolling at Wheaton College. At Wheaton, he continued his athletic career and earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1964. He later received a master's degree in philosophy from Northern Illinois University in 1967, where he also served as a wrestling coach.

Early political career

Before entering federal politics, he served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1981 to 1986. His election to the United States Congress in 1986 followed a special election to replace the deceased John E. Grotberg. He quickly gained a reputation as a reliable, low-key member of the Republican conference, focusing on agricultural and transportation issues important to his district. His rise within House leadership began when he was elected Conference Chairman in 1995 under Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Speaker of the House (1999–2007)

He ascended to the Speakership in January 1999 following the sudden departures of Newt Gingrich and his designated successor, Bob Livingston. Seen as a conciliatory figure after the tumultuous Gingrich era, he presided over the House during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Key legislative achievements during his tenure included the No Child Left Behind Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, and the Bush tax cuts. He also led the House during the September 11 attacks and the subsequent initiation of the War in Afghanistan and Iraq War.

Post-Speaker career and lobbying

After leaving Congress in November 2007, he joined the Washington, D.C. lobbying firm Dickstein Shapiro as a senior advisor. He later co-founded the lobbying firm Hastert Inc. and remained an influential figure in Republican circles, offering counsel on legislative strategy. He also served on corporate boards and was a frequent paid speaker, capitalizing on his lengthy tenure as Speaker.

Indictment, conviction, and imprisonment

In May 2015, a federal grand jury in Chicago indicted him on charges of structuring bank withdrawals to evade reporting requirements and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The investigation revealed the payments were hush money to conceal sexual abuse he committed decades earlier while a teacher and coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois. In April 2016, he was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to 15 months in federal prison, two years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He served 13 months at the Federal Medical Center, Rochester and a residential reentry management facility.

Personal life

He married Jean Kahl in 1973, and they have two adult sons. The family resided in Yorkville for many years. His post-conviction life has been largely out of the public eye, with his legal team citing declining health. The federal court in Chicago later ordered his name removed from a federal building in Illinois following his conviction.

Category:1942 births Category:Speakers of the United States House of Representatives Category:Illinois Republicans Category:American people convicted of financial crimes Category:Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni