By John Dempsey, WLS News
The fall from grace continues for Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Hastert has pleaded not guilty to Federal charges of failing to follow government bank reporting guidelines and lying to the FBI, regarding money he withdrew, reportedly to silence a man who claims Hastert sexually abused him as a teenager.
Several boards on which Hastert served have dumped him. Also Wheaton College quickly removed Hastert’s name from it’s economics and public policy center following his indictment.
Now, the Volo Auto Museum says it is pulling a vintage car once owned by Hastert, that it had on display at the Illinois Tollway’s Belvedere Oasis.
Museum Director Brian Grams told “The Big John Howell Show” on WLS, the museum has gotten several calls objecting to the display of Hastert’s car, saying “Ever since all the allegations came up, we weren’t sure what we were going to do with it. But we have since decided that we are going to pull it from the Oasis, and put it in storage, and try to figure out what we are going to do with it’.
Grams also told WLS, “”We’re a family destination. We, you know, pride ourselves on that. So with the situation that’s going on, you know, we don’t want to offend any families.”
The car is a dark green 1942 Lincoln Zephyr that the museum bought from Hastert’s personal collection in 2007.
It had been part of the Volo Auto Museum’s collection of cars once owned by the “rich and famous”, that was on display at the Illinois Tollway’s Belvedere Oasis. Grams also says the Tollway Authority requested it’s removal as well, in light of the Hastert indictment.
Here is a statement from the Volo Auto Museum:
“In the wake of recent events concearning former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert’s 1942 Lincoln Zephyr, Volo Auto Museum has removed Mr. Hastert’s Lincoln from the Illinois Tollway’s Belvidere Oasis. Furthermore, the 1942 Lincoln Zephyr will not be on display at the Volo Auto Museum. Volo is taking this very unusual action in light of the information concearning Speaker Hastert’s conduct as reported in the National Media over the last several days. The actions Volo is taking should not be construed as passing judgment on Speaker Hastert’s guilt or innocence in his pending federal criminal case.”
See more at: http://www.volocars.com/1942-lincoln-zephyr–c-4742.htm#sthash.K0LembLM.dpuf
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