Sweet blog special: Hastert to deliver farewell address Thursday. Will step down early. UPDATE Will not resign today.

UPDATED 1:57 p.m. CHICAGO TIME

LAS VEGAS, NV.–Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will deliver his farewell address to the House he has long served in Thursday afternoon. His chief of staff, Sam Lancaster, sent around a message this morning asking friends to pack the House gallery. Hastert’s speech will be about 1:30 p.m. Chicago time.

Hastert decided not to seek another term last August. Hastert announced from the House floor he will resign early, before the end of the year. Dallas Ingemunson, a longtime Hastert paly. Hastert will resign early enough so there will be a special election in the Feb. 5 primary to fill his term. Hastert is lunching today with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

read e-mail below…

From: Lancaster, Samuel

Sent: Wed Nov 14 17:01:08 2007

Subject: Speaker Hastert’s Farewell Speech

Hey everyone. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 15, Speaker Hastert will

deliver his farewell address on the House Floor. Many people have

called me to express interest in seeing him do this from the House

gallery. We have secured space for people who are interested.

So…. If you want to do this, please let me know.

Speaker Pelosi’s office is telling us that it will happen at

approximately 2:30pm; however, I suggest you be in the gallery by 2:10,

which means you need to pick up your gallery ticket in H-164, The

Capitol by 2:00pm at the latest (1:45pm would be preferable). As you

know, timing is never perfect around this place.

Thanks everyone, and PLEASE, email the many others in this town I have

probably left off this email that you think would want to do this.

Thank you.

Sam Lancaster

Chief of Staff

Former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert

H-164, The Capitol

202.225.6398