The Pics of Corruption: How Hastert Used Tax Dollars to Turn a $1.5 Mi

The Pictures of Corruption: How Hastert Used Tax Dollars to Turn a $1.5 Million Profit »

Here’s a graphic timeline explaining how House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) used a federal earmark to turn a $1.5 million profit:

August 2002: “Hastert and his wife bought a 195-acre farm in Plano in 2002, of which 69.5 acres had no access to roads.” The parcel is located in Hastert’s congressional district (IL-14).

February 2004: Hastert and two partners purchase another 69 acres adjacent to the original property. Here’s a picture of the two parcels, outlined in yellow:

August 2005: Hastert secures $207 million in federal dollars to build the “Prairie Parkway” through his district. The Chicago Tribune describes it as a “pet project” of Hastert’s that will “cut through valuable farmland and increase suburban sprawl.” President Bush comes to IL-14 to sign the bill. Here’s a picture: expand post »
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