Do you wonder why Republican Speaker Denny Hastert
would want to use his office to protect pedophiles ?
http://www.waynemadsenreport.com took a close look at House Speaker Dennis Hastert and you'll never guess what was found in his closet :

"Congressional sources told WMR that Hastert, while working from 1964 to 1980 as a popular history/government teacher and wrestling coach at Yorkville High School, in Yorkville, Illinois -- a suburb of Chicago -- was the subject of persistent rumors about inappropriate contact with male members of his high school wrestling team. The culture of the times usually resulted in such alleged behavior being covered up by public and parochial school authorities. However, the rumors were enough for his Yorkville constituency to reject him when he ran for an open seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1980. However, Hastert lucked out when another sitting Republican House member who represented the three-seat district had a stroke and declined to run for re-election. The GOP machine bosses selected Hastert as the replacement candidate.

Hastert served in Springfield from 1980 to 1986, six years to make the transformation from wrestling coach with a cloud surrounding himself to politician. In 1986, Hastert received an unexpected promotion. After incumbent Republican Rep. John Grotberg was nominated by the GOP for a second term, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and fell into a coma. The Illinois Republican Convention selected Hastert as the replacement on the ticket, a virtual election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the strongly Republican district.

In 1989, when the allegations of homosexuality among GOP congressmen arose during the first "Pagegate" scandal, Hastert's name was one of those whispered. In 1995, Hastert became Chief Deputy Whip under now-disgraced GOP Majority Whip Tom DeLay. Hastert would luck out again. In late 1989, amid scandal, House Speaker Newt Gingrich resigned. After Louisiana Rep. Bob Livingston was elected as Speaker by the GOP House Caucus, he too resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair -- an amazing development since the House had impeached President Bill Clinton for lying about his own extramarital affair. Hastert, without much scrutiny, emerged as the compromise candidate for Speaker, after the GOP deadlocked on Majority Leader Dick Armey (also the subject of various rumors after he called Barney Frank, "Barney ####") and Majority Whip DeLay.

Now Hastert is fending off allegations that he knew about the page problem with Mark Foley for 11 months and refrained from taking any action. It is also noteworthy that the Chairman of the House Page Board is Republican Rep. John Shimkus, a close ally of Hastert's from Illinois."

Rev. Ray Dubuque
Far from being the "party of GOD", today's G.O.P. has become the party of corruption and immorality, as I document thoroughly at http://JesusWouldBeFurious.Org/about/gopcorruption.html, (the page recommended most by Google & Yahoo on the subject of "republican corruption") .

All heresay, doesn't mean anything. As stupid as people bringing up Studds.

Actions on this issue shows he didn't do his job in investigating the issue.

Most everyone has a skeleton or two in their closet... Even Ned Flanders.
But Hastert... the fact he made millions on some property he purchased before the Prairie State Parkway was approved that just "happened" to go by that parcel... while not illegal it fits in the GOP raison d-etre of "make money any way possible", and could be considered a moral lapse on his part.
Is there more?
Well DAMMIT yes. If he actually said the e-mails that were described as "overly friendly" comes true, that is reason im my book for dismissal.
Think about it.
I'm in education. Let's say I had similar e-mails to a student and the Superintendent KNEW up to a year in advance. We should BOTH be tossed on the street. Same with Hastert.

I reckon he's a women's underwear man. I bet on more than one occasion he has graced the House with a pair of pinkies on under his pants.

Them's some big ol britches

He probably has man boobs to fit his bra's with....

While it might be fun to put on the tinfoil on the underlying motives, it is clear from Hastert's letter that he doesn't want an investigation into the Foley case because of the failures of the House GOP leadership (Ed was counting them out today) to hold Foley accountable. IF the Post #1 allegations are true (I'll agree with scoutster here) it would be icing on the cake.

I'm more concerned with the lying and CYAs of a more recent nature, including the apparent [more info needed on this] failure of the DoJ to follow up the emails CREW gave them over the summer.

I don't consider Wayne Madsen a credible source, he seems to be on the level of Drudge, though I don't think he's as mean.

His info is nothing but rumors, and I don't think we need to stoop to that level. The facts are enough to damn the Republicans.

GoU

Definitely think Hastert should have stepped down by now. Already admitted to having prior knowledge that there were concerns. A year is way too long for him to claim now he started an investigation. Hastert could have dealt with this when he first heard about it and would have came out as positivie for him and party by bouncing this creep.

And, the other part of it is that because it's out now, the GOP lost another sure seat in all likelihood. Between DeLay, Foley, Ney, and a race in ID-01 so far, that's 4 out of 15 needed by the D's that fell into their lap if elections go as expected at this point. The Abramoff thing is still rolling along too, Mehlman's on one of the hot seats now.

When he's gone they are gonna be tuff to fill.

You are way too right on this one scoutie. I don't know what is wrong with these knuckleheads. Is it the power???? I honestly don't know. I really and truly miss my Grandfather's Republican party. I don't even recognize these losers.

I live in Hastert's district. Myself, and others, are working toward making it Hastert's former district. This Foley mess, and anything Hastert may have had to do in a cover-up, will certainly come into play in these efforts.

The Republican party is close to drowning, and there is a firehose just waiting to be shoved down their throats.

Timing is everything.

Its just that, a rumor. The local newspaper, the Yorkville News, makes no mention of Congressman Hastert other than the ususal news stories insofar as I could find. It's Garbage that is typically reserved for the less accurate S#!T Lists.

Best Regards,

GoU, I totally agree about Madsen, and the facts.

Kempster, I think part of what is wrong with these knuckleheads is that they're gay and can't deal with it. Living your whole life closeted, while publically demeaning who you actually are is apparently a little more wear and tear on the ole psyche than they anticipated. This is one of the consequences of making homosexuality "immoral", people hide it, it's bad for them emotionally and psychologically.