Dennis Hastert Says The Hastert Rule 'Never Really Existed,' Adds John Boehner 'Doesn't Reach Out'

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) weighed in the notion that current House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) won't end the government shutdown because of the "Hastert rule."

Hastert was credited with instituting the so-called rule, which advises the House speaker to not bring any legislation to the floor that does not have majority of the majority support. In a Wednesday interview with The Daily Beast, he dismissed that as playing a role in the current gridlock on Capitol Hill, saying the rule "never really existed."

“The real Hastert Rule is 218,” Hastert said, referring to a simple House majority of votes. “If we had to work with Democrats, we did."

Hastert, who was the longest-serving GOP speaker of the House with eight years of service, added in the Daily Beast interview that he and Boehner don't speak much.

“John doesn’t talk to me,” he said. “John has his own circles, and he doesn’t reach out. That’s his nature."