Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican US House speaker, has died at the age of 84. According to Kendall County coroner Jacquie Purcell, Hastert died of natural causes over the weekend at his home while receiving hospice care.
Hastert represented Illinois for two decades in Congress and served as House speaker from 1999 until 2007. During his tenure, the Illinois Republican helped spearhead President George W. Bush’s legislative agenda.
However, Hastert's reputation was later sullied by a scandal that collapsed his post-congressional career. He spent more than a year in prison after being sent to jail in 2016 for violating banking laws as part of a scheme to cover up hush-money payments tied to allegations that he had molested high school athletes during his prior career as a teacher and wrestling coach.