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Larry Craig
Republican, Idaho (1981-2009)
Update, Jan. 9, 2009: Craig, now former Senator, gives up his effort to withdraw his guilty plea. Larry, now just a private citizen, plans to write a book on the whole ordeal and comment on Washington politics. We wish him the best of luck.
Read the Senate Ethics Committee's Letter to Craig
On August 8, 2007, the Honorable Larry Craig pled guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in a men's bathroom at the airport in Minneapolis. An undercover officer investigating complaints of sexual activity made the arrest.
A 10-day sentence was stayed, but Craig received a year probation and paid more than $500 in fines and fees.
Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, broke the story. Here's how Sgt. Dave Karsnia , a plainclothes officer who arrested Craig, described the situation: Karsnia went into the men's room, and went into a stall: he saw "an older white male with grey hair standing outside my stall." He lingered in front of the stall for two minutes, and was later identified as Craig. The sergeant continues: "I could see Craig look through the crack in the door from his position. Craig would look down at his hands, 'fidget' with his fingers, and the look through the crack into my stall again. Craig would repeat this cycle for about two minutes," the sergeant's report said.
Craig then entered the next stall and placed his roller bag against the front of the stall door. "My experience," wrote Karsnia, "has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall. From my seated position, I could observe the shoes and ankles of Craig seated to the left of me."
"At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot." "Craig moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area."
Craig then proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times, and Karsnia noted: "I could . . . see Craig had a gold ring on his ring finger as his hand was on my side of the stall divider."
Karsnia then held his police identification down by the floor so that Craig could see it. "With my left hand near the door, I pointed towards the exit. Craig responded, 'No!' I again pointed towards the exit. Craig exited the stall with his roller bags without flushing the toilet. . . Craig said he would not go. I told Craig he was under arrest, he had to go, and that I didn't want to make a scene. Craig then left the restroom."
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Craig states "that he has a wide stance when going to the bathroom and that his foot may have touched mine," the report states. Craig also told the arresting officer that he reached down with his right hand to pick up a piece of paper that was on the floor. "It should be noted that there was not a piece of paper on the bathroom floor, nor did Craig pick up a piece of paper," the arresting officer wrote.
Craig issued this statement on August 27, when the story broke: "At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions. I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct. I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously."
Craig has been a strong opponent of gay rights. He supported a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in the 1990s. He has also spoken out against homosexuals serving in the military.
Update, Sept. 7: Well, is he gonna fight or is he gonna leave? Apparently Craig has finally signaled that he will likely surrender his seat within the next two weeks. Republicans expressing some relief.
Update, Sept. 10: Craig's lawyer will file court documents in Minnesota asking to withdraw his guilty plea. Reason: He was under stress and pleaded guilty only to put the matter behind him. Billy Martin, Craig's lawyer: "My job is to get him back to where he was before his rights were taken away." Right.
Update, Sept. 27: It's gonna take the Hennepin County judge, Charles Porter, Jr., until about Oct. 5th, at the earliest to decide Craig's appeal. Trouble is, Craig had imposed an October 1 deadline on himself. By October 1, Craig was gonna resign. But as of today, Larry will stay in office "for now." To be continued . . .
Update, Oct. 4: Minneapolis judge say, no, Larry, you can't withdraw your plea. In response, Craig said he was "extremely sorry" for the judge's decision and continued to maintain his innocence. And now Craig says he won't resign after all, but will stay until his term is up in January, 2009. GOP Senators are thrilled! Democrats are thrilled!
Update, Dec. 4: The Idaho Statesman reports in considerable detail the claims of two men who said they had sex with Craig and two others who said he made passes at them. One of the men is Mike Jones, a former male prostitute, who had an encounter with Rev. Ted Haggard, and Haggard was forced to resign from his Colorado church. Craig vehemently denies the claims. Stay tuned.
Update: January 10, 2008: Craig is asking the Minnesota Court of Appeals to reverse a lower court's decision preventing him from withdrawing his guilty plea for disorderly conduct. Craig repeatedly says he's innocent and he's a "dedicated public servant who continues to serve the people of Idaho with honor and distinction."
Further, Craig "emphatically denied" new allegations that he had had sex with four different men over the past twenty-five years. (See Update, Dec. 4, above).
Update, Feb. 14: The Senate Ethics Committee "publicly admonished" Craig, concluding that he committed the offense and citing him for actions "which have reflected discreditably on the Senate." Hey, that ain't right!! Craig said, "I am disappointed and strongly disagree with the conclusions" of the committee, saying that he "will continued to serve the people of Idaho."
The Ethics Committee said Craig, by trying to withdraw his guilty plea, was trying to "evade the legal consequences of an action freely undertaken by you -- that is, pleading guilty."
The Committee also said Craig didn't get permission from the Committee to use $213,000 in campaign funds for his legal expenses.
Also, Craig, by whipping out his Senate business card to the arresting officer, was trying to use his "position and status as a United States senator to receive special and favorable treatment." And that's a big no-no, said the Committee.
Update, April 24: FEC reports note that Craig has paid $407,000 in legal fees since he was arrested in June 2007. But Craig never sought permission from the Senate Ethics Committee to use his campaign funds to pay for legal fees. The Ethics committee, in a three page letter, concluded that Craig engaged in "improper conduct which has reflected discreditably on the Senate." The letter warned him against any future legal expenses because his arrest may not have "occurred in connection with your official duties." Craig is still going ahead with his appeal of the Minnesota judge's ruling, and it will all have to come out of his own pocket.
Update, Dec. 9: the Minnesota state appeals court denied Larry's request to withdraw his guilty plea, given back in August 2007. The Court found no abuse of discretionary power, but Craig is "extremely disappointed." He might plan to appeal.
Stay tuned. . . .
John McArdle, "Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom," Roll Call, Aug. 27, 2007; Paul Kane, Shailagh Murray, "GOP Senator Pleaded Guilty After Restroom Arrest," Washington Post, August 28, 2007, A1. Charles Babbington, "Craig Likely to Leave the Senate by October, Aide Says," Indianapolis Star, Sept. 7, 2007; Mary Ann Akers and Paul Kane, "Defending a 'Wide Stance' Requires a Thick Wallet," Washington Post, April 24, 2008, A19. "Court Denies Sen. Craig's Efforts to Deny Sex-Sting Plea," CNN.com, Dec. 9, 2008. "Ex-Senator Craig Abandons Effort to Withdraw Guilty Plea," Washington Post, January 9, 2009, A2.
