CHICAGO (AP) — An attorney for Dennis Hastert has told a federal judge that the former House speaker intends to plead guilty in a federal hush-money case.
John Gallo said during a brief hearing Thursday that he expects to have a written plea agreement by Monday. And he asked the judge to set a date for a change of plea. The judge scheduled an Oct. 28 hearing.
Gallo did not mention any of the terms, including what counts Hastert would plead guilty to.
A plea deal would avert a trial and help keep any potentially embarrassing secrets quiet.
The 73-year-old Illinois Republican is charged with breaking banking laws and lying to the FBI in efforts to pay someone $3.5 million to hide claims of past misconduct.
The Associated Press and other media, citing anonymous sources, have reported the payments were meant to conceal claims of sexual misconduct decades ago.
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