Lawyer: Former US House Speaker Dennis Hastert suffered stroke, hospitalized since November

Dennis Hastert, the former speaker of the House who is embroiled in a hush money scandal and pleaded guilty to federal charges this fall, has been hospitalized since the first week of November, his lawyer says.

Washington-based attorney Tom Green said Thursday that the Illinois Republican had a stroke, was treated for a potentially life-threatening infection and had two back surgeries.

Hastert, 73, was admitted to an undisclosed hospital “during the first week of November”, attorney Thomas Green said in a statement.

In late October Hastert pleaded guilty to evading banking laws in a hush-money scheme. Federal prosecutors alleged that he had structured payments to avoid federal reporting requirements as part of an agreement to pay $3.5 million in hush money to someone he had “wronged” in the past.

Hastert, 73, is awaiting sentencing in a hush-money case.

“In light of his recent hospital stay, I would hope that probation in lieu of confinement would be considered in determining his sentence”, C. William Pollard, who describes himself as a longtime friend of Hastert, wrote in the letter.

Hastert’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for February 29. His plea agreement with prosecutors recommends a sentence ranging from probation to up to six months behind bars – the lowest possible sentence under federal guidelines for anyone convicted of a felony.

Dodie Ingemunson (IHNG’-muhn-suhn) tells The Associated Press that Hastert told her husband, Dallas Ingemunson, that the Republican was suffering from sepsis and had undergone a “couple of back surgeries”. Pollard called Hastert “a man of integrity”. Dodie Ingemunson said. “But we had not heard anything about a stroke”.

In a letter to Durkin filed in court records earlier this week, a longtime friend of Hastert made reference to the former speaker’s hospitalization.

He served in House leadership for over a decade, including seven years as Speaker, from 1999 to 2007.