House Speaker Dennis Hastert has found himself caught up in the scandal surrounding fotrmer Republican Rep. Mark Foley, accused by both political allies and opponents of not acting earlier to prevent Foley from interacting with underage congressional pages.

Foley, who represents a South Florida district, resigned last week when his inappropriate computer messages to the pages were made public. He has since entered treatment for alcoholism. His lawyer also said Foley was abused by a clergyman as a teenager.

Dennis Hastert was born in Aurora, Ill., and grew up in Oswego, Ill. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Wheaton College and a master's degree in the philosophy of education from Northern Illinois University.

Hastert taught and coached wrestling at Yorkville High School and was named Illinois Coach of the Year in 1976 after leading the team to the Illinois State Wrestling Championship. He was inducted as an Outstanding American into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2001, the United States Olympic Committee named him Honorary Vice President of the American Olympic movement.

Hastert served six years in the Illinois State House before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, representing Illinois' 14th Congressional District. He was Chief Deputy Majority Whip for five years before being elected Speaker of the House in 1999.

Hastert has served as Chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice. He is also a member of the House Commerce Committee.

Hastert is the first Republican Speaker in more than a century and one of only two Republicans to preside over consecutive electoral seat gains in the U.S House of Representatives. He is also one of two Republicans to be reelected Speaker for four consecutive terms.

He lives in Yorkville with his wife Jean. They have two grown sons, Ethan and Joshua.