When a federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert on charges of trying to evade cash withdrawal requirements and lying to the FBI about it, the indictment alleged that Hastert was trying conceal "prior misconduct."
News reports quickly emerged that Hastert was allegedly trying to cover up past instances of sexual abuse.
Today, ABC News has an interview with Jolene Burdge, the sister of Steve Reinboldt. She alleges that Hastert sexually abused him when Hastert was the coach of a high school wrestling team in Yorkville, Ill.
Reinboldt died in 1995, but Burdge says he told her about the abuse in 1979.
Burdge told ABC that her brother kept quiet because he thought no one would believe him.
The indictment, she says, is vindication for her brother.
"Hastert can't pull this wool over everybody's eyes," Burdge says. "Finally the truth comes out."
So far, the FBI has not commented publicly on Burdge's comments.
Hastert did not comment on this report and he has not commented on the indictment. He is due in court next week.
We'll leave you with video of the ABC News report:
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDEwMTk5OTQ0MDEzNDkxMDYyMDQ2MjdiMw004))
