No wonder Hastert wont leave; profits

[x0847Marine]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2006_10/009685.php

This is just outstanding, Hastert used all his congressional muscle to make $3,118,000 in a land deal.. no wonder he doesn't want to leave public office.

Hastert buys some land in the middle of nowhere for $5,200 per acre, then he and some local Republican cronies form a trust that purchase the 69 acres adjacent to Hastert's at about $15,000 per acre.

Enter the Prairie Parkway Corridor, pushed through congress by Hastert.. it just so happens this new highway, paid for by tax payers, is just over a mile from the property owned by Hastert's trust. $207 million of OUR MONEY was inserted by Hastert for construction of the Prairie Parkway.

Hastert then sold off the 138 acres to a cronie developer as part of planned 1600 home housing development... near the new highway he built for himself.

The trust received $36,152 an acre... Hastert paid $5,200 per acre. 62.5% went into Hasterts back pocket.

To hell with a few pages, Hastert has better things to do, like use his office to manipulate millions of tax dollars into his bank account.

[WhiteHawk]

you leftist librul commie loving terrorist.  You are just bashing the god-fearing christian right so you can push the country over to the communists lurking in the shadows.    
  Just kidding man.  Yea, its funny how those 'men-of-god'  have  that kind of luck.  If me or you would have pulled a deal like that we would be thrown in the slammer for racketeering.

[lasersailor184]

What's sad is that this would not have been a story unless Hastert was involved in a scandal.

[lukster]

I think the democrats feigned outrage over this whole deal is gonna bite 'em in the bellybutton like nothing before.

[lukster]

Maybe I should be really pleased that Democrats seem to have awoken from their moral stupor. Let's take a close look at our politicians and keep our eyes on them. Fine by me if the Democrats want to be the watchdogs of our politicians. No more double standards though.

[rpm]

Republicans would manipulate lawmaking to get rich? Isn't that shocking?!?

[lukster]

Originally posted by rpm
Politicians would manipulate lawmaking to get rich? Isn't that shocking?!?

Fixed.

[Yeager]

hastert needs to resign and drop about 150 pounds.  A little bit of hypocracy us almost unavoidable but a A-hole crammed full of it (no pun intended foley) is unacceptable. Conservatives cannot preach the moral high ground and then sweep under the rug a moral low grounder like foley.  the fact that hastert wont resign sums it all up.

[Mace2004]

Originally posted by rpm
Republicans would manipulate lawmaking to get rich? Isn't that shocking?!?

Whitewater

[lukster]

Originally posted by Yeager
hastert needs to resign and drop about 150 pounds.  A little bit of hypocracy us almost unavoidable but a A-hole crammed full of it (no pun intended foley) is unacceptable. Conservatives cannot preach the moral high ground and then sweep under the rug a moral low grounder like foley.  the fact that hastert wont resign sums it all up.

Hastert is waiting for things to settle a bit and for an investigation to be conducted. I don't think he should bow to the democrats sanctimonious outrage but he should be willing to step down as speaker if it is best for the republican party as decided by republicans.

[rpm]

He knew about it in `03. So much for sanctimonious outrage.

[lukster]

Originally posted by rpm
He knew about it in `03. So much for sanctimonious outrage.

He knew what in '03 exactly? If you know all the facts save us taxpayers the cost of an investigation.

[Delirium]

BOTH sides do it, and will continue to use their positions to make money on the side.

Why else would a political party spend so much money to make less than 2% of what they spent on a return? Please, someone defend this... I haven't clubbed any baby seals in a while.

[john9001]

Originally posted by Delirium
BOTH sides do it, and will continue to use their positions to make money on the side.

Why else would a political party spend so much money to make less than 2% of what they spent on a return? Please, someone defend this... I haven't clubbed any baby seals in a while.

the answer you are looking for is called term limits. we do not need or do we want professional politicians. why do you think the house has elections every 2 years.

[x0847Marine]

Originally posted by Delirium
BOTH sides do it, and will continue to use their positions to make money on the side.

Why else would a political party spend so much money to make less than 2% of what they spent on a return? Please, someone defend this... I haven't clubbed any baby seals in a while.

Making money on the side selling Tupperware is one thing, blantent manipulation of the political process is another. Hastert isn't serving anyone but himself, which isn't the point.

Hasterts good pal Bush had to sign the legislation into law, which is tantamount to El Presidente writing Hastert a check for $3 million bucks..  When asked about it, Hastert had the nerve to dismiss it all because the land he purchased was "miles" from the freeway.. forgetting his friends land grab put their collective trust 1 mile away.

This is as slimy as it gets, for this alone he should be kicked from office in disgrace.