ABC News is standing by a statement that House Speaker Dennis Hastert is under investigation by the FBI because convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has flipped on congressional Republicans, presenting evidence. Hastert’s office denies it - and the Justice Department is denying it as well.
“Despite a flat denial from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement sources tonight said ABC News accurately reported that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is ‘in the mix’ in the FBI investigation of corruption in Congress.
Speaker Hastert said tonight the story was ‘absolutely untrue’ and has demanded ABC News retract its story.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has provided information to the FBI about Hastert and a number of other members of Congress that have broadened the scope of the investigation. Sources would not divulge details of the Abramoff’s information.
‘You guys wrote the story very carefully but they are not reading it very carefully,’ a senior official said.
One focus involves a letter Hastert wrote in 2003 urging the Secretary of the Interior to block an Indian casino that would have competed with tribes represented by Abramoff.
The letter was written within days of a fund-raiser held for Hastert at Abramoff’s restaurant in Washington. Federal campaign records show more than $26,000 was raised at the time from Abramoff and his clients.
Hastert has denied doing anything unlawful and says he has a long history of opposing certain types of Indian casinos.
ABC’s law enforcement sources said the Justice Department denial was meant only to deny that Hastert was a formal ‘target’ or ’subject’ of the investigation.”
Add this substantive story to Hastert flipping out about the recent, unprecedented (if well deserved) FBI raid of Representative William Jefferson’s congressional office and Hastert’s recent unannounced visit to (the new 14th District Representative?) John Laesch’s campaign and things are getting real interesting in the 14th Congressional District.
If you haven’t already donated to John Laesch’s campaign do it now - and if you have, donate more! Laesch’s stock is rising.
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