One day after a secret report was filed by probation officers monitoring his case, disgraced former House Speaker Dennis Hastert has been slapped by his sentencing judge with severe new restrictions on his day to day life.
Under terms of the order signed by Judge Thomas Durkin, Hastert is barred from having contact with anyone under the age of 18, unless he’s in the presence of adults who are familiar with his previous crimes relating to the sexual abuse of underage boys. He is also forbidden from possessing any pornographic or “sexually stimulating” materials, from visiting any place where such materials are available, or from using any “sex-related telephone numbers.”
The former Speaker, once second in line to the Presidency, is further ordered to surrender his phone bills or credit card statements on demand, and must submit to a search of his home, car, or computers without a warrant if ordered to do so by law enforcement or his probation officers.
Indeed, the new restrictions are so severe Hastert is barred from possessing a computer, camera, or any other device with access to any online service without approval of his probation officer.
“This includes any internet service provider, bulletin board system, or any other public or private network or email system,” the order states. “The defendant shall consent to the installation of computer monitoring software on all identified computers to which the defendant has access.”
The order further explains that any monitoring software installed on the former Speaker’s computer may restrict and record all activity on his computer, including every keystroke and search. He is to cover all costs himself.
Hastert was released from a Rochester, Minnesota prison in July, after serving over a year for violation of federal banking laws, crimes associated with the payment of hush money to one of his alleged victims. That man, identified in court documents as “James Doe”, is currently suing the former Speaker for the balance of the money he says he was being paid at the time of Hastert’s arrest.
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Doe’s attorney, Kristi Browne, told NBC5 late Tuesday she thought the new sanctions were appropriate.
“It’s a difficult situation where the defendant was convicted of banking law violations, not the sexual offenses themselves,” she said. “But I think given that Mr. Hastert has acknowledged committing the sexual offenses, these conditions are reasonable for the protection of the public.”
No reason was given by the court for the new restrictions, but the order was signed by Durkin Tuesday. Court records indicate copies were sent to the former Speaker’s last attorney of record, John Gallo. But Gallo told NBC5 Investigates he no longer represents Hastert, and referred inquiries to two former colleagues at Sidley and Austin, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
