Washington ? The Justice Department denied a news report Wednesday that it was investigating Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

The statement by department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos came in response to a report by ABC News that Hastert was under investigation by the FBI to determine his role in a public corruption probe centered around convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Amid a furor surrounding the weekend FBI raid on the offices of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., ABC quoted federal officials as saying information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists now cooperating with the government.

Hastert, R-Ill., sharply criticized the raid and, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., demanded that Justice Department officials return all the documents seized from Jefferson’s office.