The Ominous Warning in Denny Hastert's Downfall

[mick silver]

J. Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican House speaker in history, was swept from leadership in 2006 on a wave of Republican revulsion over what critics saw as a legislative favor factory he presided over in Congress. That wave deposited him on K Street, a prime address for the capital's lobbyists, where his influence and good name kept the favors flowing – including into his bank accounts. Federal law enforcement agents say Mr. Hastert's years as a lobbyist and rainmaker explain how he was able to promise $3.5 million in cash to a former student who claims Mr. Hastert sexually molested him decades ago... With a salary of probably $1 million, compensation for serving on boards of directors, speaker's fees and a book deal, the money was there to pay in cash what law enforcement officials say Mr. Hastert paid, said former Representative Jack Kingston, a Republican who led the Appropriations Committee. "Yeah, it's possible he could amass in a 10-year period a nest egg of $5 to $10 million," he said. "I'm not saying it's easy, but it's not that hard." – New York Times, May 31, 2015 Former House Speaker Denny Hastert's indictment is remarkable for several reasons, not least being the way it exposes the U.S. government's inherent corruption. Why is it that former senators and representatives so often become wealthy? It is because they can deliver government favors to private interests. That they can get millionaires doing this is less significant than the fact that these favors exist in the first place. If Washington lacked power to grant these favors, businesses wouldn't pay to acquire them and people like Hastert wouldn't get wealthy delivering them. The root problem is the favors, not the way they are distributed. Nonetheless, Representative Kingston's comment is instructive. He says earning as much as $10 million within a decade of leaving office is "not that hard," and he is probably right. If a company can spend $1 million on a lobbyist and earn $100 million in government contracts, most will gladly pay. The real mystery is why the lobbyists don't charge even more. We can also look at the Hastert case as an example of karmic justice. The speaker who pushed through financial monitoring provisions of the USA Patriot Act found himself ensnared in the same law. By "structuring" his cash withdrawals to avoid reporting requirements, he aroused suspicions at his bank and gave the FBI reason to investigate. As delightful as it is to see the mighty brought low, Hastert may also be victim of a grave injustice. This is the main lesson we should draw. We do not know for sure whether Hastert sexually molested anyone. The indictment says only that he sought to conceal "past misconduct." Some person or persons inside the investigation leaked the lurid details that now dominate headlines. If the government thinks it can prove Hastert committed a sex crime, the right course would be to file charges and let a jury decide. They didn't do that. They instead filed minor charges and enhanced them by spreading unprovable allegations that will tarnish Hastert's reputation and harm his entire family. The people who did this to Speaker Hastert can do the same to anyone they please. Every American is guilty of breaking some provision of the bloated federal code. The FBI and other agencies can destroy virtually anyone's life simply by taking notice. Law enforcement now has the power to bypass courts and inflict punishment without trial. Before we relish Hastert's downfall, we should remember that any one of us could be next. - See more at: http://www.thedailybell.com/news-analysis/36329/The-Ominous-Warning-in-Denny-Hasterts-Downfall/#sthash.91Tn3PZv.dpuf

[Cebu_4_2]

J. Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican House speaker in history, was swept from leadership in 2006 on a wave of Republican revulsion over what critics saw as a legislative favor factory he presided over in Congress. That wave deposited him on K Street, a prime address for the capital's lobbyists, where his influence and good name kept the favors flowing – including into his bank accounts.

Federal law enforcement agents say Mr. Hastert's years as a lobbyist and rainmaker explain how he was able to promise $3.5 million in cash to a former student who claims Mr. Hastert sexually molested him decades ago...

With a salary of probably $1 million, compensation for serving on boards of directors, speaker's fees and a book deal, the money was there to pay in cash what law enforcement officials say Mr. Hastert paid, said former Representative Jack Kingston, a Republican who led the Appropriations Committee.

"Yeah, it's possible he could amass in a 10-year period a nest egg of $5 to $10 million," he said. "I'm not saying it's easy, but it's not that hard." – New York Times, May 31, 2015

Former House Speaker Denny Hastert's indictment is remarkable for several reasons, not least being the way it exposes the U.S. government's inherent corruption.

Why is it that former senators and representatives so often become wealthy? It is because they can deliver government favors to private interests. That they can get millionaires doing this is less significant than the fact that these favors exist in the first place.

If Washington lacked power to grant these favors, businesses wouldn't pay to acquire them and people like Hastert wouldn't get wealthy delivering them. The root problem is the favors, not the way they are distributed.

Nonetheless, Representative Kingston's comment is instructive. He says earning as much as $10 million within a decade of leaving office is "not that hard," and he is probably right. If a company can spend $1 million on a lobbyist and earn $100 million in government contracts, most will gladly pay. The real mystery is why the lobbyists don't charge even more.

We can also look at the Hastert case as an example of karmic justice. The speaker who pushed through financial monitoring provisions of the USA Patriot Act found himself ensnared in the same law. By "structuring" his cash withdrawals to avoid reporting requirements, he aroused suspicions at his bank and gave the FBI reason to investigate.

As delightful as it is to see the mighty brought low, Hastert may also be victim of a grave injustice. This is the main lesson we should draw.

We do not know for sure whether Hastert sexually molested anyone. The indictment says only that he sought to conceal "past misconduct." Some person or persons inside the investigation leaked the lurid details that now dominate headlines.

If the government thinks it can prove Hastert committed a sex crime, the right course would be to file charges and let a jury decide. They didn't do that. They instead filed minor charges and enhanced them by spreading unprovable allegations that will tarnish Hastert's reputation and harm his entire family.

The people who did this to Speaker Hastert can do the same to anyone they please.

Every American is guilty of breaking some provision of the bloated federal code. The FBI and other agencies can destroy virtually anyone's life simply by taking notice.

Law enforcement now has the power to bypass courts and inflict punishment without trial. Before we relish Hastert's downfall, we should remember that any one of us could be next.

[Glass]

of course this is not new. This is how it always works. play the man not the ball.

[osoab]

If the government thinks it can prove Hastert committed a sex crime, the right course would be to file charges and let a jury decide. They didn't do that. They instead filed minor charges and enhanced them by spreading unprovable allegations that will tarnish Hastert's reputation and harm his entire family.

They are claiming that the possible offenses were so long ago that the statute of limitations prevents them from charging DH. Besides, .gov will get much more money by charging him with "Structuring". They can seize all of his accounts and then fine him even more.

[Dachsie]

I barely remember who Dennis Hastert is anymore. But he represents something symbolic that is a useful political tool against the Republicans, a tool I guess is being weilded by the Dems.

Alex Jones did a good show with Wayne Madsen a few days ago.

Anyway, Alex seems do do a good job when he sorts out what these kind of stories are really about. He said he was not at all defending pedophilia action or Republicans but that this was obviously a political card being played at this particular time for a reason we do not fully understand by just watching the news stories.

I have said for many years that Cesspool, D.D. is a big

blackmail, bribery, extortion grid. That's the way that whole thing works and that is what is the reason for everything about our law making process. It is a place of the most heinous Satanic evil.

I remember a man who runs the Constitution.org website whose name is Jon Roland, a local Libertarian, said that many of aides to U.S. congress members are actually and secretyly working for the CIA and other subversive elements and use those aids to gather information that is useful for manipulation that are exercised from other sources, other than the aide. It's same kind of cloak and dagger and grid environment even in state andlocal government venues.

I remember how it was a slam dunk legal case against convicted felon Tom Delay but the man spent one day in the hoosegow and now is legally completely off the hook, and that was ner even covered in the news.

[cheka.]

70k spread over 2 years

psychopaths are watching every dime that the goy have

http://www.texaspolicenews.com/default.aspx?act=Newsletter.aspx&category=News+1-2&newsletterid=58226&menugroup=Home

TYLER, Texas – A 53 year old former vice-president and trust officer at Regions Bank in Tyler, Texas has pleaded guilty in federal court to structuring financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Carol D. Rushton appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicole Mitchell, waived grand jury indictment, and pleaded guilty to a one-count information today. According to the evidence presented at the plea hearing, Carol D. Rushton caused nine separate transactions of $10,000 or less, totaling $70,500.00, from November 3, 2010-August 15, 2012, at the Regions Bank in Tyler for the purposes of evading federal reporting requirements.

Ms. Rushton admitted that she was aware that financial institutions are responsible for filing a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) with the Internal Revenue Service when a customer conducts a currency transaction (i.e., deposits, withdrawals, or purchases of cashier’s checks) in excess of $10,000.

Ms. Rushton is facing a maximum sentence of 5 years incarceration and a fine not to exceed $250,000.00. A sentencing hearing has not been set at this time.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tyler Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

[midnight rambler]

nine separate transactions of $10,000 or less, totaling $70,500.00, from November 3, 2010-August 15, 2012

That could describe the activities of ANYONE of means.

[Publico]

Why is it that former senators and representatives so often become wealthy? It is because they can deliver government favors to private interests. That they can get millionaires doing this is less significant than the fact that these favors exist in the first place.

That's the stupid ones. The smart ones get wealthy while still in office.

[Twisted Titan]

If the government thinks it can prove Hastert committed a sex crime, the right course would be to file charges and let a jury decide. They didn't do that. They instead filed minor charges and enhanced them by spreading unprovable allegations that will tarnish Hastert's reputation and harm his entire family.



Bullshit.

The corbett report did a piece on this.

Basically when the charges got leveled against the pig boy and he was going to take a major fall.....he lawyered up and basically was willing to turn federal witness agsinst OTHER big fish will similar child rape charges and had the means to make it stick.

So the other side thought better of it and let him go with slap on the wrist charges and fbi officers were so disgusted the resigned or asked to be transfered in protest.

[Twisted Titan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a31o6AfjJw&feature=youtube_gdata_player