Former House Speaker Hastert Dies at 84

By Sandra Rhodes (/journals/sandra-rhodes)

Former U.S. House Speaker John Dennis Hastert has died.

He was 84.

According to the Kendall County coroner, Hastert died at his home over the weekend from natural causes.

In 2016, Hastert admitted he sexually abused boys while coaching at Yorkville High School.

A federal judge sentenced Hastert to 15 months in prison and issued a $250,000 fine. The judge referred to Hastert as a “serial child molester.”

Hastert became the highest-ranking elected official in U.S. history to serve a prison sentence.

He represented Illinois’ 14th Congressional District from 1987 to 2007, and was Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007.

Hastert was the longest-serving Republican speaker.