On reconsideration: Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, shown here after a defense spending vote this week, now plans to serve out his term -- dropping his plans to quit following a judge's refusal to withdraw his guilty plea in an airport sex sting. AP photo by Alex Wong.
by Mark Silva
Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, who announced that he would resign from the Senate after his arrest in an airport sex-sting operation was revealed, said today that he will serve out his term.
"I am innocent of the charges against me,'' said Craig, who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct last summer. While he has rescinded his decision to resign this fall, the three-term Republican, whose term will expire in January 2009, will not seek reelection.
With four other Republican senators ready to retire at the end of their terms next year, party leaders are recruiting candidates for a crtical election year.
But Craig is the one whom fellow Republicans were pushing to quit. Craig pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct in August, following his arrest in a men's room of the Minneapolis airport in June. Craig will not only serve out his term, he said today, but also will contest any complaint against him in the Senate ethics committee.
"I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively,” Craig said in a written statement today certain to disappoint fellow Republicans who have urged him to step down.
"I will continue to serve Idaho in the United States Senate, and there are several reasons for that. As I continued to work for Idaho over the past three weeks here in the Senate, I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively.
"Over the course of my three terms in the Senate and five terms in the House, I have accumulated seniority and important committee assignments that are valuable to Idaho, not the least of which are my seats on the Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee,'' Craig said in a statement issued by his office. "A replacement would be highly unlikely to obtain these posts.
"In addition,'' he said, "I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee -- something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate. ''
Craig today failed in his bid to have his guilty plea withdrawn in an airport sex sting operation that led to him announcing an early resigation.
Craig had put his (Sept. 30) resignation date on hold while awaiting a ruling from Minneapolis, where lawyers had made the case that Craig acted in haste and under stress in accepting a guilty plea for disorderly conduct in August following his arrest in an airport men's room in June.
Today, a judge rejected Craig's bid to withdraw his guilty plea, for which the four-term senator paid a fine hoping to make the case "go away.''
“Because the defendant’s plea was accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and because the conviction is supported by the evidence ... the defendant’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied,” Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter wrote.
When the conviction first surfaced, Craig said in early September that he would resign by Sept. 30. But he held that off while seeking a reversal of his guilty plea, which he maintained he had entered in duress because of an Idaho newspaper's investigation of his personal behavior.
Craig was arrested after tapping his foot and waving his hand beneath the wall of the adjoining stall in the Minneapolis airport where an airport officer was conducting a sting against suspected sexual offenses. The officer said the senator's actions amounted to a sexual advance. Craig's lawyer said the senator's only intent was "to go to the bathroom.''
The airport has since decided to renovate the stalls, with walls that reach the floor.
The judge said any pressure which Craig may have felt following his arrest "was entirely perceived by the defendant and was not a result of any action by the police, the prosecutor or the court.'' Prosecutor Christopher Renz Porter, saying Craig had been urged to hire a lawyer at the time, accused him of "politicking and game playing” with the legal system.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments
Well we will have Larry to kick around some more.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 4, 2007 4:33 PM
I'm no backer of the current day GOP but if this guy had any loyalty to his party (and maybe he doesn't) he should resign.
That said I look forward to making plenty of snarky comments about the "fabulous Senator Craig."
Posted by: nisleib | October 4, 2007 4:40 PM
...good for you Senator...fight the good fight...don't let these right-wing homophobes intimidate you...
Posted by: The Original BZ | October 4, 2007 4:40 PM
Larry Dear,
You go, girl. Your judgement continues to be nothing short of FABULOUS!
SNAP!
Posted by: Eric | October 4, 2007 5:21 PM
I hear that airport management at Linbergh Terminal at MSPIAP plan on using this for Muzak when the Republics come to town.
The lindy Hop!
If I could Lindy like Larry when he Lindy Hops,
He makes all the cats in the bathroom stop;
Hmmm, just look at that wide stance grace,
How that guy keeps up that pace!
Now, if I could Lindy like Larry when he lindy hops,
He won't even stop if you call the cops!
Just look at the twinkle in his eye!
Ahh, how the press quivers about his smile!
Now, if you could Lindy like Larry when he Lindy hops,
Makes all cats in the ballroom stop;
Look at him throw him out and bring him in!
Now, the way them Repub-cats dance is a sin!
Posted by: C.Morris | October 4, 2007 5:30 PM
His political career has gone down the toilet...
Posted by: john bull | October 4, 2007 5:39 PM
Of course he won't quit.
He can't afford to. Like so many officials who live on the public teat for long periods of time, he's addicted to that government money and the perks that go with being a big, important (if not very competent) sentaor.
Posted by: Helena | October 4, 2007 5:45 PM
He's not gay!....not that there's anything wrong with that....he just has a very wide stance....or something.
Posted by: John E | October 4, 2007 5:48 PM
Who's this guy trying to kid. Give it a rest and get the heck out. Face the facts ... You like men. Move on.
Posted by: Bill | October 4, 2007 6:00 PM
"In 1989 Craig was reported to have led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Rep. Barney Frank, for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal," Wikipedia.
There's no need to read between the lines here..., because there's no cryptic message involved...
Simply consider how "Once known as a crusader against child abuse and exploitation, Rep. Mark Foley resigned from Congress on Sept. 29, 2006 after allegations surfaced that he had sent suggestive emails and sexually explicit instant messages to teenaged boys who had formerly served and were at that time serving as Congressional pages," Wikipedia.
Chew over how "On July 14, 1983 the House Ethics Committee recommended that Rep Dan Crane (R-IL) and Rep. Gerry Studds (D-MA) be reprimanded for having engaged in sexual relations with minors, specifically 17-year-old congressional pages," Wikipedia--the 1983 Congressional Page sex scandal.
Of course Amnesty International's 1999 and 2001 reports on Custodial Sexual Misconduct highlighted the fact that sexual abuse at the hands of staff is one of the most egregious abuses faced by woman in custody in the US.
Takes us back to Sodom..., where the community leaders got a big kick out of rape...
Well--WHAT DO YOU EXPECT???--when the US Supreme Court is going around saying that one can receive incremental punishment for each of the multiple offenses of which one is ACQUITTED!!! (See United States v. Watts)
WHAT???!!! LET'S JUST HOPE TEN RIGHTEOUS MEN CAN BE FOUND...!!! WHAT???!!!
Posted by: Michael L. Wagner | October 4, 2007 6:21 PM
Give Craig some credit for his shrewdness. He obviously planned this strategy. He had weeks to consult with lawyers before entering his plea. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge so that the initial charges get buried. Then he claims innocence, but vows to resign from the Senate. Then he appeals his guilty plea knowing they won't accept the appeal. He walks out having the original charges buried, his dignity as an "innocent man" restored, and decides to keep his job. Now it's the liberal media that victimized him.
It's really been a brilliant ploy. If the judge HAD allowed him to withdraw his plea, then he would have to answer to the original charges (tapes and all) and that's the last thing he wanted. Don't think for a minute he didn't plan it this way.
Posted by: Giraffe | October 5, 2007 3:35 AM
Another story about a Republic party politician FLIP-FLOPPING after telling the American people one thing and now saying the opposite.
Posted by: BC | October 5, 2007 10:53 AM
Give Craig some credit for his shrewdness. He obviously planned this strategy. He had weeks to consult with lawyers before entering his plea. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge so that the initial charges get buried. Then he claims innocence, but vows to resign from the Senate. Then he appeals his guilty plea knowing they won't accept the appeal. He walks out having the original charges buried, his dignity as an "innocent man" restored, and decides to keep his job. Now it's the liberal media that victimized him.
It's really been a brilliant ploy. If the judge HAD allowed him to withdraw his plea, then he would have to answer to the original charges (tapes and all) and that's the last thing he wanted. Don't think for a minute he didn't plan it this way.
Posted by: Giraffe | October 5, 2007 3:35 AM
Dignity as a "decent man" restored? How do ya figure? "Brilliant ploy?" We'll see if its brilliant for himself, but his Republican colleagues certainly don't think its a "brilliant ploy," they wish he'd resigned long ago.
Larry Craig the victim? Let's see how well that works. The only victim here is the Republican Party, and for that I am eternally grateful to Mr. Craig.
Posted by: Distrust and Verify | October 5, 2007 11:20 AM
I love his pretty tie with the little fluffy white doggies on it! I'll bet he enjoys having pages leading him around by it. Keep up the good work you closet peter pumper!
Posted by: CDM | October 5, 2007 12:46 PM