by Jill Zuckman
Bowing to intense pressure from his Republican colleagues, Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) will announce today that he is resigning his seat in Congress following revelations that he was arrested in a men's bathroom and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer.
Republican sources said Craig, a social conservative who has steadfastly opposed gay rights, will announce his resignation at 10:30 Mountain time just days after defiantly announcing "I am not gay. I never have been gay."
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a Republican, plans to appoint Lt. Gov. Jim Risch to fill out Craig's term in the Senate, according to a GOP source. Craig is expected to officially leave the Senate on Sept. 30th, sources said.
Craig's political career unraveled rapidly this week as news broke that he pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct after being arrested June 11 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Craig said the guilty plea was a mistake and that he hadn't consulted a lawyer.
But his Republican colleagues didn't believe his denials and quickly asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate his actions. Then they stripped him of his committee assignments, making it clear that Craig was not welcome to return.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called Craig's conduct "unforgiveable." Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) said Craig should resign. And presidential candidate Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, quickly cut all ties with Craig, calling his actions "disgusting."
Even the Republican National Committee had planned to weigh in, calling on Craig to leave office, but pulled back when word came from Idaho that Craig was on the verge of doing just that. See the Tribune story:
The quick repudiation of a senior senator who had served in Congress for a quarter of a century was the result of a harsh lesson learned in 2006 when inappropriate emails from then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to House pages began to surface.
The subsequent inaction and finger-pointing among House Republican leaders over who knew what when about Foley's pursuit of young, male pages, led to a tidal wave of voter anger at the polls. Republicans lost both the House and the Senate, in part because of the Foley scandal.
Republicans clearly did not want to make the same mistake twice, seeming to condone illegal - and what many in their party believes to be immoral - behavior.
With the 2008 election looming, GOP lawmakers are already facing an uphill climb to take back the Senate. Of the 34 seats in play, 22 are currently held by Republicans. And Republicans did not want to risk losing Craig's seat during a general election in a staunchly conservative state.
Craig's expected departure from the Senate was a stark contrast with the announcement Friday that Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) would not run for reelection after three decades in office. Praise poured in from Democrats and Republicans, as lawmakers called him "a gentleman," "a leader," and a friend who will be missed.
President Bush called Warner "one of the most dedicated senators in American history," citing his "steady judgment, wise counsel and candid advice."
By contrast, Craig has been suffering one humiliation after another this week. On Friday, Bush refused to answer a question about Craig tossed at him by a reporter. On Thursday, the Minneapolis airport authority released a tape recording of Craig's interrogation by police sergeant Dave Karsnia, who repeatedly accused Craig of lying.
"I’m not gay. I don’t do these kinds of things," Craig told Karsnia. "You shouldn’t be out to entrap people."
Karsnia became angry as he and Craig disagreed over every detail of the bathroom incident, which involved toe-tapping, foot-touching and finger gestures under the bathroom partition.
"Embarrassing, embarrassing,'' Karsnia told Craig as he accused him of lying. "No wonder why we’re going down the tubes."
In the Senate, Craig, 62, was both economically and socially conservative, always ready with an acerbic sound-bite for the press. Among western lawmakers, he was the most prominent and probably the most influential. He called himself "a right-wing pragmatist."
Craig took a leading role in the immigration debate, looking for ways to help illegal migrant farmworkers and others in the United States illegally. He said the Idaho agricultural economy depended upon it. He was also part of the gang of senators who bucked the White House about renewing the Patriot Act out of concern for civil liberties.
Craig is a board member of the National Rifle Association and has ardently fought restrictions on gun ownership in Congress. He has been at the forefront in fighting against proposals to require background checks at gun shows, and he won enactment of legislation to shield gun manufacturers from liability lawsuits.
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Comments
Okay, that's one hypocrite (of many!) down.
When does David Vitter of Louisiana resign for hiring prostitutes? Does the GOP condone such lawbreaking?
Posted by: athena | September 1, 2007 8:32 AM
Why are you giving this so much attention?
The President had U.S. Attorneys fired for not pressing made-up charges against congressional candidates during an election.
This administration kicked thousands of registered voters out of the computer by sending "confirm your identity" letters to old addresses.
The crap they've pulled is so illegal, it makes Watergate look like a tea party.
Read Greg Palast's blog, it's actually got some substance.
Posted by: Palatine Resident | September 1, 2007 8:40 AM
This is the fault of the Liberal media.
This is Bill Clintoon's fault.
No,this is the fault of HYPOCRICY!!!!!
Posted by: Raving Loon | September 1, 2007 8:54 AM
WELL !!! They sure wanted him out !!!
Posted by: steffie | September 1, 2007 9:14 AM
Conservative leaders are more concerned about homosexuality than they are about homelessness. If there weren't a (right-wing-driven) stigma about homosexuality in America, maybe fewer people would resort to covert meetings in bathroom stalls.
Posted by: Seth Asa | September 1, 2007 9:15 AM
GOP condones law breaking? Craig just wanted a low class consensual gay encounter. What about William Jefferson and his frozen bribe money? Where is the Democrat outrage?
Posted by: S Dempsey | September 1, 2007 9:30 AM
He wishes to spend more time with his family and mens room stalls.
Posted by: bill r. | September 1, 2007 9:44 AM
Republicans sure learned their lesson with Foley...If you're gay and a Republican and you've committed some minor offense OFF WITH HIS HEAD!! If you're a plain ol' heterosexual republican who's done nothing except out a covert CIA agent, or refused congressional supeonas, or made up intelligence about other nations, then you're free to go. The moral of the story being, that you can commit any crime you want as long as it doesn't involve (sex)
Posted by: Paul Winkelmann | September 1, 2007 9:56 AM
Why are policemen setting up sting operations for gays when it is not illegal to be gay. There are murderers, child molesters, wife beaters, rapists etc. loose and these guys hang out in men's rooms looking for gays. What in hell is this for?
Posted by: roneida | September 1, 2007 10:09 AM
Maybe he just ran out of toilet paper?
Posted by: Bob | September 1, 2007 10:10 AM
Maybe Craig will now support gay rights? lol
I think this is poetic!
Posted by: Elizabeth | September 1, 2007 10:15 AM
This is just one of many corrupted hypocrites from White House to Congress to Senate. Did Cheny or Bush lied and still lying to us every time they open their mouth? They should step down as well.
Posted by: Dc | September 1, 2007 10:20 AM
"GOP condones law breaking?"
So it seems. At least when it's a Republican doing the law breaking and they aren't gay.
Posted by: ann | September 1, 2007 10:21 AM
I don't condone gay activity but this action clearly suggests Craig angered the wrong people somewhere down the line. Hey, if someone wants to get rid of a nemesis, there are multiple ways of doing so. I would suggest the cop was the one doing the soliciting. Now, the real question goes back to Roneida's earlier comment. Why on earth is a cop running sting operations on gay people? That is laughable!! It wasn't a sting operation, it was a setup.
Posted by: Joe | September 1, 2007 10:28 AM
S. Dempsey,
William "cold cash" jefferson hasn't pled guilty to anything and hasn'e been found guilty of anything.
"Presumption of innocence." You've heard of it?
By the way it was Republicans screaming the loudest for Larry to get under the bus. Or did I miss the press conference of Republican senators defending him?
Posted by: Diversey | September 1, 2007 10:31 AM
If you read the actions of this "police officer", his job was to entrap closeted gay men. This time he entrapped someone "worthy of the main stream press".
Of course, the Republicans don't mind. They can now appoint a new Republican Senator who will have a year incumbency before the next election.
No wonder Iraqis are fighting so hard to avoid "democracy", the "rule of law", and the "American Way".
Posted by: Bob | September 1, 2007 10:40 AM
Diversey, Tom DeLay hasn't pled guilty to anything either or found guilty of anything. Yet, as an indicted Congressman he resigned. Jefferson, who is indicted, is still in Congress.
And they Loony Left Liar from Palatine, please show proof the White House kicked out thousands of registered voters, OK? I find this hilarious considering voter registrstion information is handled by local authorities, not state or federal authorities.
The worst and most lame mankind has to offer: the friggin nimrods who are the Loony Left.
Posted by: John D | September 1, 2007 10:44 AM
Why on earth is a cop running sting operations on gay people? That is laughable!! It wasn't a sting operation, it was a setup.
Posted by: Joe | September 1, 2007 10:28 AM
I don't know. Why is the right so hateful towards gays? If it was laughable, why didn't the man be straight up about it? What about the rights motto...if you haven't done anything wrong...........
Posted by: bill r. | September 1, 2007 10:46 AM
Knock Three Times
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/media/video/?ID=1228
Posted by: TheReamer | September 1, 2007 10:49 AM
"If you read the actions of this "police officer", his job was to entrap closeted gay men. This time he entrapped someone "worthy of the main stream press"."
That's inaccurate. The police officer's job was to enforce the "no lewd acts in public" law, not to entrap gay men.
And it was definitely not entrapment - Craig approached the cop, not vice versa. This wasn't like a prostitution sting where hookers are cops, the police officer was just monitoring a public bathroom to ensure that no lewd acts took place there.
Posted by: ann | September 1, 2007 11:07 AM
John D.,
Don't try to re-write history. DeLay resigned rather than suffer the humiliation of losing an election. The pudding was in the poll numbers.
Posted by: Diversey | September 1, 2007 11:26 AM
I am so tired of using gays and same sex marriage as a divider and a diversion of the real issues in this country..especially the Republicans use this tactic because they can't and don't know how to get anything else done...They have put this country in a mess....Time to clean them out...Wake up people and quit being so blind...Read and educate yourself...
On another note...straight people can't even comment on who is right or wrong on Craig...unless you are gay and you know the signals he was giving...in that stall...
Posted by: Vinnie | September 1, 2007 11:27 AM
once again John D - who blows a gasket if one of the 'loony left' calls someone a name resorts to name-calling. Pathetic.
Posted by: cj | September 1, 2007 11:45 AM
They are chopping off the head of a man who stood for something. Joe and Bob, I agree with your posts wholeheartedly.
He was trapped. Listen to the interrogation. I took classes in interrogation and interviewing. The cop is trying to use everything he can to trip Craig up, and EVERY TIME Craig comes back with the same story. He isn't lying.
This is what happens to people who can't be bought.
And the "colleagues" who turned tail... shame on you. This is a man who has worked hard for his state and his country for over 25 years. If he was so bad, he would have been gone a long time ago. (Except in the case of Ted Kennedy) I support Larry Craig. And, for the record, I am not a Republican. Say what you want, but I have a mind of my own and you aren't changing it with your mud-slinging.
Posted by: dawn | September 1, 2007 12:19 PM
I believe Craig's actions really could have been misinterpreted. I've probably bumped the foot of someone in an adjacent stall while adjusting my diaper before or after a long flight.
Posted by: Tom E | September 1, 2007 12:20 PM
The hate that exists in this country is the most depressing atmosphere I hav ever seen.
Posted by: W.L. Healy | September 1, 2007 12:42 PM
Dawn,
Please.
You talk like Craig is some kind of babe-in-the-woods.
He knew exactly what he was doing when he tried to negotiate his way out of the situation, which included dropping the Senatorial Card. He could have asked to be Mirandized and lawyered up at any time. Surely you're not suggesting a man with his education and legislative experience didn't know this?
Craig rolled the dice hoping the matter would never hit the light of day again. He knew that if he pushed it the skeletons would come tumbling out of the closet.
At best it wasn't entrapment but at least a prima-facie case of lewd and lascivious conduct.
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 1, 2007 2:36 PM
[quote]
And they Loony Left Liar from Palatine, please show proof the White House kicked out thousands of registered voters, OK?
Posted by: John D | September 1, 2007 10:44 AM
[/quote]
Try this on for size:
[quote]
Previously undisclosed documents detail how Republican operatives, with the knowledge of several White House officials, engaged in an illegal, racially-motivated effort to suppress tens of thousands of votes during the 2004 presidential campaign in a state where George W. Bush was trailing his Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry.
The documents also contain details describing how Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign officials, and at least one individual who worked for White House political adviser Karl Rove, planned to stop minorities residing in Cuyahoga County from voting on election day.
The efforts to purge voters from registration rolls was spearheaded by Tim Griffin, a former Republican National Committee opposition researcher. Griffin recently resigned from his post as interim US attorney for Little Rock Arkansas. His predecessor, Bud Cummins, was forced out to make way for Griffin.
Another set of documents, 43 pages of emails, provided to Truthout by the PBS news program "NOW," contains blueprints for a massive effort undertaken by RNC operatives in 2004, to challenge the eligibility of voters expected to support Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in states such as Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Pennsylvania.
One email, dated September 30, 2004, and sent to a dozen or so staffers on the Bush-Cheney campaign and the RNC, under the subject line "voter fraud strategy conference call," describes how campaign staffers planned to challenge the veracity of votes in a handful of battleground states in the event of a Democratic victory.
Furthermore, the emails show the Bush-Cheney campaign and RNC staffers compiled voter-challenge lists that targeted probable Democratic voters in at least five states: New Mexico, Ohio, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania. Voting rights lawyers have made allegations of so called "vote caging," against Republicans previously. These emails provide more evidence. One Republican operative involved in the planning wrote "we can do this in NV, FL, PA and NM because we have a list to run against the Absentee Ballot requests, and should."
[/quote]
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072607A.shtml
Oh, and BTW John D - do notice that I provided a link, a source, to back up my viewpoint.
Posted by: BC | September 1, 2007 3:05 PM
The hate that exists in this country is the most depressing atmosphere I have ever seen.
Posted by: W.L. Healy | September 1, 2007 4:02 PM
Remember, it was Craig's conservative backers that called for his head.
Posted by: C.Morris | September 1, 2007 10:17 PM
DeLay resigned rather than suffer the humiliation of losing an election.
Posted by: Diversey | September 1, 2007 11:26 AM
So what are you then implying about the voters of Mr. Jefferson's district when compared to the voters of Mr. DeLay's? Mr. Jefferson was reelected, despite being indicted. A very curious statement.
Posted by: JB | September 1, 2007 11:36 PM
JB,
DeLay faced a credible candidate in his bid for re-election and Jerrerson didn't.
Why didn't the Republican's produce a black candidate in Jefferson's district to run against him?
Posted by: Diversey | September 2, 2007 7:30 AM
What about William Jefferson and his frozen bribe money? Where is the Democrat outrage?
You mean like the way they stripped him of all his committeeships? Just like the republicrites.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2007 6:29 PM