While rumors have been around for awhile, it looks like Sen. Larry Craig has been busted:
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon.
Craig’s arrest occurred just after noon on June 11 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in the Hennepin County District Court. He paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation with the court that began on Aug. 8.
A spokesman for Craig described the incident as a “he said/he said misunderstanding,” and said the office would release a fuller statement later Monday afternoon.
After he was arrested, Craig, who is married, was taken to the Airport Police Operations Center to be interviewed about the lewd conduct incident, according to the police report. At one point during the interview, Craig handed the plainclothes sergeant who arrested him a business card that identified him as a U.S. Senator and said, “What do you think about that?” the report states.
Craig is up for re-election in 2008 and something tells me this isn't gonna play well back home in Idaho. Whether Craig chooses to resign or stick it out, Democrat Larry LaRocco should be able to make a race of it.
Update: In the event that Craig retires early, a quick check of Idaho statutes shows that the replacement process is fairly standard. Republican governor “Butch” Otter has the full authority to appoint someone who would serve through November 2008.
If Craig retires, the likely nominee to replace him is former Governor and current Lt. Governor Jim Risch, who beat LaRocco 58%-39% in 2006.
The Idaho Statesman, the state’s largest newspaper, ran an expose about the senator’s alleged homosexual double life. They started investigating last October and sat on the story because the editor just didn’t feel comfortable going with the evidence they had accumulated, citing that is still wasn’t enough. Yesterday’s story changed that.
http://www.idahostat…
hates lt. governor jim risch…there is also a very wide bench of repubs in idaho for the governor to choose from. many people are counting on risch being selected, but i wouldn’t hold my breath on that one…
of course, this is assuming he actually resigns.
Larry Craig was first accused of this behavior back in 1982. The fact it is still news 25 years later only proves that Republicans only care about “values” when they can attack opponents. They look the other way otherwise.
How else can you explain the “rehabilitation” of the Rev. Ted Haggard for example?
Senator Craig, (R – Idaho), has been very helpful in keeping this story alive, and keeping himself and his party twisting in the wind. Gives everyone time to really wallow in the story — and for the Repubs, that can’t be good. Serious damage to “the brand” in Idaho.
I take note of the discouraging share that Larry LaRocco got in his most recent race. He’ll do better next year, for sure! But yeah, not so easy to see him winning that Senate seat, not yet.
I’m more optimistic that this sordid business could, in Repub terms, trickle down to help Larry Grant in his rematch against Sali. That was a much closer race, in the district where Democrats are stonger — less weak? — and now switching just 2 or 3% of the voters from Brand Repub to Brand Democrat, or just to Independent for a cycle, a wash cycle so to speak, could put Grant in the House next time.
As a gay man, I have to say that I am very upset with the GOP right now. Well, most of the time, but especially with their handling of this. Where were the calls from McCain and Coleman when Senator Vitter admitted to having an affiar with a prostitute? Last I check, he wasn’t in Nevada, so its illegal too?? All this talk about being unfit to be a Senator, its such bullshit. Now if Senator Vitter had been with a gay prostitute, maybe then things would be different. So hypocritical.
On a side note, I would LOVE to hear Vitter’s statement on the issues. Or maybe what Ted Haggard thinks. Or Mr. Foley. When will they be issuing statements I wonder? lol I despise these ‘holyier than thou’ people. Never thought I’d feel sorry for a Republican Senator from Idaho, but thank you national GOP for surprising me yet again!