Oktubre 5, 2026

"The towering irony of Mr. Hastert’s fall was that his rise to high legislative office was cleared by his apparent moral rectitude amid a morass of sex scandals in late 1990s Washington."

From "Dennis Hastert, ex-House speaker whose sex abuse admission upended legacy, dies at 84/The Illinois Republican helped spearhead President George W. Bush’s legislative agenda before his career ended in disgrace" (WaPo)(gift link).

22 komento:

imTay ayon kay ...

How did he survive the fall if he wasn't Hispanic? Especially a fall from a. towering irony?

D.D. Driver ayon kay ...

Do you think he became Speaker of the House despite being a pedo, or do you think he became Speaker of the House *because* he was a pedo?

Lazarus ayon kay ...

Predictions I've made have often been wrong, but the "uh-oh" I felt when I heard the House Republicans voted for a high school wrestling coach to be speaker was on target.

RCOCEAN II ayon kay ...

Contrast this with the NYTs obit of barney Frank. One rule for D's and another for R's.

RCOCEAN II ayon kay ...

Of course the low quality of Republican Speakers has been a problem for years. Remember the guy who came after Hassart? Bonehead. I think he's now selling MJ. And then there's Paul Ryan, boneheads chosen successor.

And worthless Kevin McCarthy who turned out to be Frank Lutz's BFF and meat puppet.

A corrupt pol like Pelosi seems like a Giant in comparison. And at least Pelosi fought for her own voters and not against them.

Bob Boyd ayon kay ...

In DC rectitude means mor ass.

n.n ayon kay ...

Principles matter, but are not determinative. A character revealed.

ForestwithouttreeS ayon kay ...

He served 13 months. Did we not take such crimes as seriously . Or did he get special treatment?

n.n ayon kay ...

Was he rehabilitated?

Lazarus ayon kay ...

I am reminded of the old Soviet formula: "Executed 1938. Rehabilitated 1988." We do things quicker in America. Christa Pike was executed last week and word is, she's already rehabilitated and ready to take on the world.

Iman ayon kay ...

Christa Pike was executed last week and word is, she's already rehabilitated and ready to take on the underworld.

FIFY

n.n ayon kay ...

On one hand, on the other, always and forever.

Narr ayon kay ...

"Was he rehabilitated?"

As far as I know he reamed, I mean he remained a Republican. So, no.

Narr ayon kay ...

I see I'm not the only one who thought Coach Dennie was on the hinky end of the rectum, I mean spectrum.

narciso ayon kay ...

He waa a tool of the turks and the price of getting newt and livingston

Maynard ayon kay ...

As someone who lived in Illinois for over 50 years, I can tell you that Hastert the RINO was more than a pedo. He adopted the "pay to play" approach to legislation that has worked so well for the state. IOW, he was both a crook and a pervert.

William ayon kay ...

The epitome of the cesspool inside the beltway. Amorality at its finest.

Michael ayon kay ...
Naalis ng may-ari ang komentong ito.
Michael ayon kay ...

Rather interesting that, after his fall from office, the Democrats didn't make Hassert a poster boy for Republican degeneracy.. The it dawned on me that neither the Blue nor Red team wanted the media sniffing around too much about child sex in Congress.

imTay ayon kay ...

One of those funny things was being assured that Pizzagate was all tin foil hat nonsense, then Prince Andrew claiming that he couldn't have done to that child what was claimed because he was at a niece's pizza party.

bagoh20 ayon kay ...

Today such a large tower would be the size of a small tower.

boatbuilder ayon kay ...

"...his rise to high legislative office was cleared by his apparent moral rectitude..."

Cleared? His rise was cleared? What?

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