Former House Speaker Hastert, Facing Prison Sentence, Suffers Stroke

 Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert, who pleaded guilty in October in a hush-money case stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct, has suffered a stroke, Hastert's lawyer said on Thursday.

Attorney Tom Green confirmed by phone a statement he made to Politico that during the first week of November, Hastert, 73, was admitted to the hospital. Hastert suffered a stroke, was treated for sepsis, had two back surgeries and remains hospitalized, Green said in his statement.

Hastert, a Republican who led the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, pleaded guilty in late October to one count of "structuring" - withdrawing funds from bank accounts in amounts below $10,000 to evade bank reporting rules.

Hastert admitted to paying $1.7 million in cash to an individual to buy that person's silence and compensate for past misconduct toward that individual.

Hastert faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on Feb. 29 in federal court in Chicago. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of up to six months. It is possible sentencing could be postponed due to his health problems. (Reporting by Mary Wisniewski in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)