Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert Dies at 84
Former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert has died at age 84. He was previously implicated in allegations of molesting high school athletes.
San Francisco Oakland San Jose, CA, October 5, 2026 — Dennis Hastert, who served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, has died at the age of 84. His death was confirmed recently.
Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, held the speakership during a significant period in American politics, succeeding Newt Gingrich and preceding Nancy Pelosi.
Before his tenure as Speaker, Hastert represented Illinois’ 14th congressional district for two decades. He was first elected to Congress in 1987.
In later years, Hastert’s public life was overshadowed by allegations of misconduct. He was implicated in claims that he sexually molested boys while he was a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois in the 1960s and 1970s. These allegations became public knowledge in 2015.
The former Speaker faced federal charges related to hush-money payments he made to cover up alleged past sexual abuse. He pleaded guilty to a process-related offense in 2016 and was sentenced to 13 months in prison. He was also fined.
Hastert’s career in public service began in local politics before he entered the Illinois House of Representatives in 1981. He was a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during his congressional career.
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