Report: Hastert Also Focus of FBI Corruption Probe
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The speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is being investigated by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in a public corruption probe into members of Congress, according to ABC News, citing senior U.S. law enforcement officials.
The federal officials were quoted as saying Mr. Hastert was implicated in the wrongdoing after receiving information from “convicted lobbyists” who, ABC News reports, are cooperating with investigators.
Among the evidence is a letter Mr. Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the secretary of the interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation. The casino would have competed with other tribes who were represented by a convicted lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, who ABC reports has provided details of his dealings with Mr. Hastert as part of his plea bargain with the government.
A spokesman for Mr. Hastert told ABC News: “We are not aware of this. The speaker has a long history and a well-documented record of opposing Indian reservation shopping for casino gaming purposes.”
