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| What to Look For in Wednesday’s Sentencing of Dennis Hastert | What to Look For in Wednesday’s Sentencing of Dennis Hastert |
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| CHICAGO — J. Dennis Hastert, whose fall from genial retired speaker of the House and successful lobbyist to convicted felon has been sudden and steep, appeared in federal court here on Wednesday to learn his sentence. | |
| Arriving before 7 a.m. local time, Mr. Hastert entered the courthouse in a wheelchair. The sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. | |
| A former wrestling student whom Mr. Hastert once coached and the sister of another former wrestling team member are expected to testify against Mr. Hastert before the sentence is announced. Here is a breakdown of the case and proceedings: | A former wrestling student whom Mr. Hastert once coached and the sister of another former wrestling team member are expected to testify against Mr. Hastert before the sentence is announced. Here is a breakdown of the case and proceedings: |
| Mr. Hastert has pleaded guilty to knowingly structuring bank transactions to avoid reporting rules as part of what prosecutors say was an effort to cover up sexual abuse of members of the high school wrestling team he coached decades ago. Mr. Hastert, 74, has acknowledged that he had promised to quietly pay $3.5 million to one former wrestling student for misconduct he committed years ago. | Mr. Hastert has pleaded guilty to knowingly structuring bank transactions to avoid reporting rules as part of what prosecutors say was an effort to cover up sexual abuse of members of the high school wrestling team he coached decades ago. Mr. Hastert, 74, has acknowledged that he had promised to quietly pay $3.5 million to one former wrestling student for misconduct he committed years ago. |
| Mr. Hastert, who built his political career in the Republican Party on his success as a small-town wrestling coach in the 1960s, ’70s and early ’80s, was not charged with sexual wrongdoing, acts for which the statutes of limitation have run out. | Mr. Hastert, who built his political career in the Republican Party on his success as a small-town wrestling coach in the 1960s, ’70s and early ’80s, was not charged with sexual wrongdoing, acts for which the statutes of limitation have run out. |
| Federal prosecutors, who reached a plea deal with Mr. Hastert last year, have called for a sentence that falls within federal sentencing guidelines on the felony count. The maximum sentence for the count is five years in prison, but under an estimate of federal guidelines in the case, he could receive as little as no prison time or, perhaps, six months behind bars. Lawyers for Mr. Hastert, who say he has had a series of medical problems in recent months and now uses a wheelchair, are seeking probation. | Federal prosecutors, who reached a plea deal with Mr. Hastert last year, have called for a sentence that falls within federal sentencing guidelines on the felony count. The maximum sentence for the count is five years in prison, but under an estimate of federal guidelines in the case, he could receive as little as no prison time or, perhaps, six months behind bars. Lawyers for Mr. Hastert, who say he has had a series of medical problems in recent months and now uses a wheelchair, are seeking probation. |
| Yet, Judge Thomas M. Durkin of Federal District Court has made it clear that he also intends to consider a recent revelation in the case as he decides Mr. Hastert’s punishment: that when confronted with a string of large withdrawals from his bank, a representative for Mr. Hastert indicated to the federal authorities in 2015 that the former congressman was being extorted over a false claim of sexual abuse — a scenario that the authorities later found to be untrue. Under an agreement with the authorities at the time, court documents show, Mr. Hastert had been required to tell the truth. | Yet, Judge Thomas M. Durkin of Federal District Court has made it clear that he also intends to consider a recent revelation in the case as he decides Mr. Hastert’s punishment: that when confronted with a string of large withdrawals from his bank, a representative for Mr. Hastert indicated to the federal authorities in 2015 that the former congressman was being extorted over a false claim of sexual abuse — a scenario that the authorities later found to be untrue. Under an agreement with the authorities at the time, court documents show, Mr. Hastert had been required to tell the truth. |
| “That’s an aggravating factor in my mind,” Judge Durkin said during a hearing this month. | “That’s an aggravating factor in my mind,” Judge Durkin said during a hearing this month. |
| Prosecutors have described at least four former wrestling team members who say Mr. Hastert committed sex acts on them, including one, known in court documents only as Individual A, who began receiving the payments from Mr. Hastert after 2010. | Prosecutors have described at least four former wrestling team members who say Mr. Hastert committed sex acts on them, including one, known in court documents only as Individual A, who began receiving the payments from Mr. Hastert after 2010. |
| A fifth former wrestling student says that he was offered a massage, and that Mr. Hastert “brushed his hand” against the former student’s genitals, though the former student told prosecutors he was unsure whether it was on purpose. | A fifth former wrestling student says that he was offered a massage, and that Mr. Hastert “brushed his hand” against the former student’s genitals, though the former student told prosecutors he was unsure whether it was on purpose. |
| Individual A, who filed suit this week accusing Mr. Hastert of breach of contract for failing to pay the full $3.5 million, is not expected to appear at Mr. Hastert’s sentencing. | Individual A, who filed suit this week accusing Mr. Hastert of breach of contract for failing to pay the full $3.5 million, is not expected to appear at Mr. Hastert’s sentencing. |
| But another of Mr. Hastert’s former wrestlers, known in court papers as Individual D, will appear, prosecutors have said. Individual D has told prosecutors that Mr. Hastert approached him when he was 17 and a wrestler at Yorkville High School, on the edge of Chicago’s western suburbs. | But another of Mr. Hastert’s former wrestlers, known in court papers as Individual D, will appear, prosecutors have said. Individual D has told prosecutors that Mr. Hastert approached him when he was 17 and a wrestler at Yorkville High School, on the edge of Chicago’s western suburbs. |
| Individual D has said he was staying late after practice one day, trying to make weight, when Mr. Hastert said that a massage could “take some pounds off.” Mr. Hastert then performed a sex act on Individual D, a prosecution memo says, and never again spoke of it to Individual D. | Individual D has said he was staying late after practice one day, trying to make weight, when Mr. Hastert said that a massage could “take some pounds off.” Mr. Hastert then performed a sex act on Individual D, a prosecution memo says, and never again spoke of it to Individual D. |
| Mr. Hastert’s lawyers have said that he does not contest the allegations of Individual D, but that “in all candor he has no current recollection of the episode.” More broadly, Mr. Hastert’s lawyers have offered an apology on their client’s behalf, saying he “is deeply sorry and apologizes for his misconduct that occurred decades ago and the resulting harm he caused to others.” | Mr. Hastert’s lawyers have said that he does not contest the allegations of Individual D, but that “in all candor he has no current recollection of the episode.” More broadly, Mr. Hastert’s lawyers have offered an apology on their client’s behalf, saying he “is deeply sorry and apologizes for his misconduct that occurred decades ago and the resulting harm he caused to others.” |
| The defense lawyers have provided the judge with more than 40 letters in support of Mr. Hastert, including from his wife, Jean; Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader; and an array of former political leaders and consultants, wrestling coaches, wrestlers, lawyers, former law enforcement officers and friends. | The defense lawyers have provided the judge with more than 40 letters in support of Mr. Hastert, including from his wife, Jean; Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader; and an array of former political leaders and consultants, wrestling coaches, wrestlers, lawyers, former law enforcement officers and friends. |
| “By any measure, appearing before this court to receive its sentence will be the most difficult day in Mr. Hastert’s life,” the defense lawyers wrote in a memo to the judge. “Mr. Hastert’s fall from grace has been swift and devastating.” | “By any measure, appearing before this court to receive its sentence will be the most difficult day in Mr. Hastert’s life,” the defense lawyers wrote in a memo to the judge. “Mr. Hastert’s fall from grace has been swift and devastating.” |
| Jolene Burdge, the sister of Stephen Reinboldt, another member of the wrestling team, is also expected to testify on Wednesday. Mr. Reinboldt died in 1995, but had told his sister that his first same-sex experience had been with Mr. Hastert, and that he had been abused all through high school. | Jolene Burdge, the sister of Stephen Reinboldt, another member of the wrestling team, is also expected to testify on Wednesday. Mr. Reinboldt died in 1995, but had told his sister that his first same-sex experience had been with Mr. Hastert, and that he had been abused all through high school. |
| Prosecutors have argued that a sentence for Mr. Hastert must balance his years of public service with a need to “avoid a public perception that the powerful are treated differently than ordinary citizens when facing sentencing for a serious crime.” | Prosecutors have argued that a sentence for Mr. Hastert must balance his years of public service with a need to “avoid a public perception that the powerful are treated differently than ordinary citizens when facing sentencing for a serious crime.” |
| Mr. Hastert, known admiringly in Washington and back in Yorkville as “Coach,” reached wide acclaim as an unlikely, down-to-earth former teacher who had reached remarkable success through compromise and listening. | Mr. Hastert, known admiringly in Washington and back in Yorkville as “Coach,” reached wide acclaim as an unlikely, down-to-earth former teacher who had reached remarkable success through compromise and listening. |
| Mr. Hastert’s history, the prosecutors have written, is “marred by stunning hypocrisy,” noting that “while the defendant achieved great success, reaping all the benefits that went with it, these boys struggled, and all are still struggling now with what defendant did to them.” | Mr. Hastert’s history, the prosecutors have written, is “marred by stunning hypocrisy,” noting that “while the defendant achieved great success, reaping all the benefits that went with it, these boys struggled, and all are still struggling now with what defendant did to them.” |