Alleged Hastert Victim Named by Family in ABC News Exclusive

By Mark Joyella 

On ABC’s Good Morning America, chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross interviewed the family of a man who claimed to have been a victim of sexual molestation by Dennis Hastert, the former Speaker of the House.

Steve Reinboldt was a student and part of the high school wrestling team coached by Hastert in Yorkville, Illinois. His family told ABC News Reinboldt was also a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of Hastert. It’s the first time an alleged Hastert victim has been identified by name since Hastert was indicted for lying to the FBI and violating federal banking laws in an alleged effort to cover up past misconduct.

In the interview with Ross, Reinboldt’s sister Jolene says her brother, who died in 1995, told her in 1979 of the abuse:

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“I asked him, when was your first same sex experience. He looked at me and said, ‘It was with Dennis Hastert,’” Jolene said. “I was stunned.”

Jolene said she asked her brother why he never told anyone. “And he just turned around and kind of looked at me and said, ‘Who is ever going to believe me?’”

ABC confirms the family approached the network with the allegations in 2006, but didn’t air the story. “At the time ABC News could not corroborate Jolene’s allegation and Hastert denied the claim.”


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