October 15, 2015
by Jason Meisner
Lawyers for Dennis Hastert (click here) said Thursday that the former U.S. House speaker plans to plead guilty to an indictment that alleges he agreed to make $3.5 million in hush-money payments to cover up wrongdoing from years ago.
Both sides appeared at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin.
Durkin set Oct. 28 for Hastert to enter the guilty plea. A written plea agreement has been worked out and will be handed over to the judge on Monday, attorneys said in court Thursday.
The plea negotiations were revealed in a hearing late last month when John Gallo, one of Hastert's attorneys, said the defense had been discussing with federal prosecutors a possible resolution to the case short of a trial — a signal to a possible guilty plea. At the time, Gallo called the talks "productive."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Block confirmed for the judge that talks on a plea deal were ongoing and asked that the two sides be given additional time for the discussions....
by Jason Meisner
Lawyers for Dennis Hastert (click here) said Thursday that the former U.S. House speaker plans to plead guilty to an indictment that alleges he agreed to make $3.5 million in hush-money payments to cover up wrongdoing from years ago.
Both sides appeared at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin.
Durkin set Oct. 28 for Hastert to enter the guilty plea. A written plea agreement has been worked out and will be handed over to the judge on Monday, attorneys said in court Thursday.
The plea negotiations were revealed in a hearing late last month when John Gallo, one of Hastert's attorneys, said the defense had been discussing with federal prosecutors a possible resolution to the case short of a trial — a signal to a possible guilty plea. At the time, Gallo called the talks "productive."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Block confirmed for the judge that talks on a plea deal were ongoing and asked that the two sides be given additional time for the discussions....
