From today's Times, "Hastert’s Name Removed by Alma Mater" (my emphasis):
The alma mater of J. Dennis Hastert, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, announced on Sunday that it had scrubbed his name
from the school’s public policy center, after his indictment on charges
that he lied to the F.B.I. about financial transactions he made to
cover up past sexual misconduct.
Wheaton
College, the Christian liberal arts school in Illinois where Mr.
Hastert graduated in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in economics, made
the decision after his federal indictment on Thursday.
“In light of the charges and allegations that have emerged, the college has redesignated the center as the Wheaton College Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy at this time,” the school said in a news release that was updated on Sunday. The center had been called the J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy.
“We
commit ourselves to pray for all involved, including Speaker Hastert,
his family and those who may have been harmed by any inappropriate
behavior,” the statement said.
And what if it's all just a big misunderstanding? Again, Mr. Hastert is innocent until proven guilty, right? While I understand it's common practice to put distance between an institution and someone under indictment, what if Mr. Hastert is indeed innocent? Will Wheaton College reinstate his name to the school’s public policy center? How awkward would that be? Why not just wait and see how things play out? The center was established in 2007; what difference does a few more days or weeks mean? Why the rush to judgement?
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