Maybe Hastert was allowed to rise to power because he was compromised

[AngryAmish]

Maybe certain people who can listen to every phone call and read every email would be interested in having dirt on people who run the country.

But that is just creative speculatuon.

[Action_Patrol]

1. No. At the time, he was seen as the safe choice

He was seemingly the squeaky clean ex High School wrestling coach.
Gingrich fell apart and so did Livingston. He was seen as the safe choice.

[CTyankee]

2. Probably not that creative. The press is all but saying flatly that the "prior misconduct"

is linked to Hastert's days as a high school wrestling coach and the only reason this has come to light now is that Hastert was not rich before he was Speaker but is now.

Lynn Sweet, a highly regarded investigative reporter out of Chicago, and David Axelrod both commented on this case today on Morning Joe.

Sad. Not that I am a big fan of Hastert, but this has got to be hard on his family.

[GreatGazoo]

3. I have wondered about such dynamics

There is a strong belief within our government in the power of blackmail. Abu Ghraib was largely about blackmail -- they manufactured blackmail materials on the people they grabbed perhaps so that they could control them after release.

Jeff Gannon / Guckert's relationship with the Bush Whitehouse and his sex ads designed to appeal to DC military members reek of a blackmail (eg honeypot) operation.

Add to those NSA mass spying. They used blackmail against UN officials who didn't want to approve the US invasion of Iraq:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/03/katharine-gun-iraq-war-whistleblower