Federal Judge Wants Hastert Healthy Enough To Be Sentenced

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert has been charged with paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in hush money to cover up sexual misconduct in his past, but a severe illness has interrupted the case. The judge in the case called a secret meeting, and has appointed an independent medical expert to review Hastert’s medical condition, as that will likely be a factor in his attorneys’ efforts to keep him from prison time. Sentencing is scheduled for April 8. “It’s likely there is some kind of disagreement, and the court wants to make sure he’s basing his sentencing decisions on unbiased medical evidence,” said Jeffrey Cramer, head of Chicago security firm Kroll.