Hastert “Duped” By PR-Hungry EvangelistHouse Speaker Dennis Hastert was “duped” into meeting with an eccentric globetrotting evangelist and his associate, according to today’s Chicago Sun-Times.
According to the paper’s account, a “massive coincidence” is how the evangelist, K.A. Paul, finagled a meeting with Hastert, who’s currently facing one of the biggest crises of his career, that also threatens the power of the GOP.
An associate of Paul’s says he just happened to be driving through Plano, Ill., on Monday night, near Hastert’s home. At a restaurant there he encountered Hastert and his security contingent. The associate, Dennis Ryan, approached Hastert and called Rev. Paul.
“Hastert talked to Paul and apparently decided to make the Tuesday date with him without consulting his advisors,” the paper concludes.
The next morning at 7:30, Paul arrived at Hastert’s house with an AP reporter in tow and associate Ryan, who had by now armed himself with a camera.
The paper says Hastert and Paul met for 40 minutes — not the half hour reported yesterday — and they prayed together. Paul also “laid hands” on Hastert, and called on him to resign, the Sun-Times reported.
The paper does not explain why Hastert chose to meet with Paul, how the “reverend” evaded traditional security checks, or why Hastert isn’t going on record about any of this.
