Former Speaker Dennis Hastert sentenced to 15 months in prison

[Green Line]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-sentencing-20160427-story.html

Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison today.  He admitted today to sexually abusing some of the young men he coached at Yorkville High School many years ago.  What a disgusting story and a massive disappointment for the thousands of people who looked up to him.  Interestingly, the presiding Judge who sentenced him is the brother of Republican House leader Jim Durkin, and one of the young men whom Hastert abused is the younger brother of former Republican leader Tom Cross.

15 months is not nearly enough but at least it is better than probation to 6 months, which is what the prosecution recommended.

[Green Line]

I somehow hadn't realized what the charges against him were.  I thought they were just campaign finance-related, but these are really bad.

The official charges against him are only related to financial issues.  The child molesting stuff only came out later and is well past the statute of limitations.

And yes, the testimony of the victims makes my skin crawl. 

[Green Line]

By the way, why the hell is there a statute of limitations for molesting children?

It was so long ago that there would be no evidence apart from the word of the victims.  It would be his word against theirs, and I don't think that is enough to convict someone.  Hastert has confessed to it now, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have done so if there was a chance that he would have been prosecuted for it.

But I'm not a legal expert, so I don't really know for sure.

[Green Line]

What is ridiculous is that somewhere pointed out if he received a parking ticket at the school at one point while he was molesting the boys and hadn't paid it, he could still be prosecuted for that, but not the molestation.

Do you really not see why parking tickets and sexual assault accusations are treated differently with regard to the statute of limitations?  It seems pretty obvious to me.