Dozens of prominent figures wrote letters of support for Dennis Hastert

Ahead of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's sentencing on hush money charges, his defense team made public Friday 41 letters defending him, including former national and state politicians, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"We all have our flaws, but Dennis Hastert has very few," wrote Tom DeLay, who served as majority leader under Hastert. "He doesn't deserve what he is going through. I ask that you consider the man that is before you and give him leniency where you can."

Hastert pleaded guilty in October to felony bank fraud charges in a $3.5 million hush money case allegedly going to a victim of his sexual abuse. In April, prosecutors alleged he sexually abused at least four boys when he served as a high school wrestling coach decades ago.

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Read the public letters, some of which are from the Illinois wrestling community, over at the Chicago Tribune.