Attorney for Hastert’s extortionist makes crazy argument in court

Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

(L to R): James Doe attorney Kristi Browne, Hastert attorney John Ellis and Judge Robert Pilmer (photo by WSPY News.com's Jim Wyman)

The attorney representing James Doe in the "hush money" case against Dennis Hastert is claiming that Hastert paid her client $1.7 million in cash because he wasn't trying to hide anything.

(Access to Dennis Hastert Bank Records an Issue in Kendall County Lawsuit Hearing)

This is one of the most insane arguments that I have ever heard come from an attorney, and that's saying a lot!

Kristi Browne, who is representing Curtis T. Williams aka James Doe, told Judge Robert Pilmer that she needs Hastert's bank records so that she can establish that by being paid in cash, her client was also open about the "hush money" payments and not trying to keep them a secret.

Now I have heard it all!

Browne ludicrously contended that if Williams and Hastert were trying to keep the "hush money" payments secret, Hastert would have paid Williams by check.

Don't checks leave a paper trail, Ms. Browne? Or are most criminals just paranoid?

By the way, since Williams was supposedly not trying to hide anything by accepting the $1.7 million "hush money" in cash, perhaps Browne will show us the "hush money" deposits slips from his bank.

And while she is at it she can also tell us if he reported his cash windfall to the IRS?

Or did he just transparently stuff the $1.7 million under his mattress?

IP2P asked Ms. Browne if her client reported his cash windfall to the IRS, but she did not respond.

Interestingly, if Hastert had written checks instead of paying by cash he would not have gone to prison for structuring.

If all of this wasn't crazy enough, Browne told reporters after the court hearing that she plans to file a motion asking Judge Pilmer to close the courtroom to the public in order to keep James Doe's identity a secret even though he has already been identified as Curtis T. Williams.

 Could Hastert Case be Heard in Secret?

The question is: Will Judge Pilmer continue to tolerate such insanity in his courtroom?