Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was charged yesterday with bank fraud and lying to the FBI. He made multiple cash withdrawals and made sure they weren’t automatically reported to the IRS, but it turns out it happened because he was reportedly being blackmailed to cover up past misconduct.
And today the other shoe dropped: a report claiming that the misconduct was sexual in nature, and occurred while Hastert was a high school wrestling coach.
Which brings us to Geraldo Rivera, who despite being disturbed by Hastert’s alleged misconduct, thinks he should get a pass for a big reason:
Sounds like fmr House Speaker Hastert wasnt perp-He was victim of Blackmail& Extortion. He lied re being shaken down to avoid embarrassment.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 29, 2015
Why did FBI focus on Speaker Hastert and not on the blackmailer who terrorized him for major money? Threatening exposure ruin & humiliation?
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 29, 2015
Sex misconduct from yrs ago was gross but Speaker Hastert is now a victim who should be given pass in exchange for testimony vs blackmailer.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 29, 2015
Needless to say, some people were really taken aback:
@GeraldoRivera Are you out of your goddamned mind?!!
— Fernando G (@fernsbags) May 29, 2015
@GeraldoRivera So assulting kid(s) is okay if they turn on you?
— RON COULTER (@RONCOULTER) May 29, 2015
Sigh. You know that #DennisHastert is indicted for lying to the @FBI, not the sexual abuse? @GeraldoRivera https://t.co/TBc6hKa1av
— Scott Wooledge (@Clarknt67) May 29, 2015
.@GeraldoRivera Oh so Denny Hastert gets a pass on child molestation as does Josh Duggar?Really?Would you be so blasé if it were your child?
— Pnthrgrlgail (@Mama4Obama1) May 29, 2015
First Duggars now Hastert get a pass for sexual misconduct on Fox. https://t.co/wt5nzw9hJw
— Bruce Bartlett (@BruceBartlett) May 30, 2015
Just in case you need to be reminded: Geraldo Rivera is a toad.
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) May 30, 2015
@GeraldoRivera Hastert is NO victim, just another Republican hypocrite.
— JaneFace (@janeface15) May 29, 2015
Geraldo did end his tweets on the matter with this observation about how conservatives have reacted to Hastert compared to Josh Duggar:
How can conservatives rally around sleazy, secret keeping, serial molester Josh Duggar and leave blackmailed Speaker Hastert out to dry?
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 29, 2015
[image via screengrab]
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