House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) has finally paid for his tab for using disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's restaurant.

Hastert held a fundraiser at the Signatures restaurant in Washington, D.C., in June 2003. At the event and in the weeks following, he received at least $14,750, including $2,500 from Abramoff, in political contributions.

But Hastert never paid for his use of the restaurant until now. He filed an expense report with the Federal Election Commission nearly two years after the event.

Former Congressman and current Sen. David Vitter (R-Louisana) also used the restaurant in September 2003. He failed to pay his tab after raising $12,000 but has since reported it to the FEC.

The fundraisers occurred as Abramoff lobbied Hastert, Vitter and other Republicans. Hastert signed a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton warning against off-reservation gaming and Vitter inserted language into the Interior appropriations bill against off-reservation casinos.

Get the Story:
Hastert PAC Pays Old Tab for Fundraiser (AP 4/19)

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