Hastert War of Words Continues

The man who revealed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s dark past has renewed his call for payment of all of the money he says Hastert promised him years ago.

The case dates back to the '70s, when the now-grown man identified in court documents as “James Doe” says Hastert sexually molested him during a wrestling trip when he was 14 years old.

Doe said Hastert promised him $3.5 million to keep quiet about the incident. But after $1.7 million was paid, authorities began questioning the former speaker’s unusual bank withdrawals and the entire affair was uncovered.

Hastert pled guilty to violating banking laws and is currently serving a 15 month sentence in a Minnesota prison.

Last month, Hastert argued that the man broke their confidentiality agreement and should now be ordered to repay the hush money which had already been paid. But in a new court filing in Kendall County, Doe’s attorney rejected that argument, noting it was Hastert himself who revealed the scheme when he attempted to skirt federal banking laws.

After the first $1.7 million was paid, authorities began questioning the former speaker’s unusual bank withdrawals and the entire affair was uncovered. Hastert alleged at the time he was being extorted----but after authorities questioned Doe, he detailed the sexual abuse. The former Speaker went on to plead guilty to financial crimes and is currently serving a 15 month sentence in a Minnesota prison.

In that new filing, attorney Kristi Browne declared that Doe only spoke of the agreement after Hastert revealed it.

“Mr. Doe admits that he made a limited disclosure of the existence and subject matter of the agreement when he truthfully answered questions when compelled to do so by federal officials, and to defend himself against Hastert’s false accusations of extortion,” Browne wrote. “Mr. Doe was compelled to answer the questions of federal investigators truthfully and completely.”

The entire matter is to be back in front of a Kendall County judge next month.

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