Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert died at 84, and the Kendall County coroner said the former Illinois lawmaker’s death resulted from natural causes.
Coroner Jacquie Purcell said Hastert died at his home during the weekend. She released no additional details about the death.
Hastert was the longest-serving Republican speaker in House history. He represented Illinois in Congress for about two decades and rose to one of Washington’s most powerful offices. That made him a major figure in the House before a later legal case changed how his career was viewed.
The case that reshaped his legacy
In 2016, Hastert acknowledged that he had sexually abused boys while working as a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Yorkville, Illinois. The conduct dated to his years coaching at the school, long before he reached national office.
The criminal case involved $3.5 million in payments to a former student. Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for violating banking laws in connection with the money. The payments were part of an effort to keep the abuse concealed.
He served 13 months and was released in 2017. His imprisonment also gave him a grim distinction: he became the most senior elected U.S. official to serve time behind bars.
Before politics, Hastert was a teacher and coach
Before politics, Hastert built a career in education. Born in Aurora, Illinois, in 1942, he grew up in a farming community. He studied economics at Wheaton College and later earned a teaching degree from Northern Illinois University.
He worked as an Illinois teacher for 16 years while coaching wrestling. In 1976, he was named Illinois Coach of the Year. That honor came decades before he publicly acknowledged the abuse.
Hastert married Jean Kahl in 1973, and they had two sons. His path from teacher and coach to the House speakership placed him at the center of national politics. The later revelations connected his public role to conduct from an earlier part of his life.
Purcell confirmed the death Monday, while providing only the natural-cause finding and no further information.
