Wheaton College changes the name of Dennis Hastert Center
Wheaton College is changing the name of a center named after former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, following the charges and allegations that have emerged against the former speaker.
The evangelical college, Hastert's alma mater, announced in a statement that the J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy will now be known as the Wheaton College Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy. A few days earlier, Hastert resigned from the center's board of advisers.
- Hastert allegedly paid to conceal past sexual misconduct
- Hastert indictment raises questions over 2006 Hill scandal
The center's mission will not change, the college said, noting that the school has not been implicated or associated with the allegations against Hastert.
"We commit ourselves to pray for all involved, including Speaker Hastert, his family, and those who may have been harmed by any inappropriate behavior, and to continue the work and mission of the Wheaton College Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy," the statement said.
Last week, Hastert was indicted and charged with violating federal banking laws and lying to FBI investigators. According to the indictment, Hastert agreed to pay $3.5 million in 2010 to a person identified only as "Individual A," in an effort to "compensate and conceal" Hastert's "prior misconduct." Two law enforcement officials told CBS News that Hastert was attempting to conceal accusations of sexual misconduct in his past.