CHICAGO (AP) — Dennis Hastert’s lawyer says in a statement that the former U.S. House Speaker had a stroke during the first week of November and has been hospitalized since then.
Attorney Tom Green said in a statement reported Thursday, December 17, 2015, by Politico that Hastert had a stroke, has been treated for sepsis and had two back surgeries while in the hospital.
The 73-year-old Hastert pleaded guilty Oct. 28 to a felony count of evading bank reporting laws in a hush-money scheme.
In the written plea agreement, the Illinois Republican directly acknowledged for the first time that he sought to pay someone $3.5 million to hide misconduct by Hastert against that person dating back several decades — about the time the longtime GOP leader was a high school wrestling coach.
The Illinois Republican’s sentencing date is Feb. 29.
