29 Apr Too Little, Too Late
Did you see the news about former Speaker of the House? Denny Hastert was just sentenced to 15 months in prison for his efforts to cover up his sexual abuse of young members of a wrestling team he coached decades ago. This sentence falls 9 months shy of the MINIMUM presumptive sentence in Alaska for a second time felony offender accused of a “C” (lowest level) felony and well within the presumptive range for a first time felony offender.
That is to say in Alaska this could easily be your sentence for a first offense for such heinous crimes as: unlawfully using someone's credit card, having $10 worth of heroin, or getting a felony DUI and it MUST be your sentence +9 months if you've done it more than once.
Concerns raised by famous friends included: that Denny Hastert would become depressed, that it was embarrassing, and Tom Delay, a former lawmaker, opined that, “he doesn’t deserve what he is going through.”
For his part as a “serial child molester” (Judge Durkin’s words), a hush money payer, and for lying to the FBI about the banking laws he broke, Hastert said he was, “ashamed” for “mistreating” some athletes he coached. Mistreating being his euphemism for ongoing and repeated sexual abuse of children he was supposed to be mentoring.