So the Idaho Statesman's Dan Popkey either has a story that he hasn't reported yet or he spent four months investigating allegations of Idaho Senator Larry Craig's sexual orientation and found nothing. Not so for Roll Call. According to Daily Kos, Roll Call was able to secure a copy of the arrest report following this incident:
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.
This should hasten news of Craig's retirement. We'll have more later.
Update 17:11: Craig tried to mitigate his guilty plea with this response to local NBC affiliate, KTVB:
"At the time of the 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."
It should be noted that from the time of the arrest to the guilty plea was two months. For a politician to not seek legal advice during that time on an incident of this magnitude suggests either incompetence or "scared rabbit" syndrome. Either way this is not good for Craig.
Update 18:03: Talking Points Memo is reporting that the Mitt Romney campaign has yanked the video of Craig endorsing Romney for president. Craig was a co-chair of the Romney for President Idaho Leadership Team.
Update 20:57: The Idaho Statesman has responses from the rest of the Idaho congressional delegation. A preview: we...know...nothing.
The Idaho Statesman also reports more of the undercover officer's observations:
According to the police reports, a man, later identified as Craig, kept watching the undercover police officer through a crack in the stall. Craig then entered the next-door stall and placed his luggage against the opening under the stall door.
The account goes on to detail methods of solicitation used by the Senator.
Anyone want to speculate on the resignation date?
Update 08.28.07 05:38: As noted by Serephin at 43rd State Blues and Daily Kos, the Idaho Statesman's Dan Popkey has finally released his much anticipated story.
Risch must be doing cartwheels.
Posted by: Sisyphus | August 27, 2007 at 04:23 PM
My,my,my,I can't wait to hear the spin meisters of the GOP explain this one. Will Larry quit? That would give Butch an opportunity to appoint someone,(Risch perhaps),to have an incumbency advantage for next years election. Of course he may just try and brazen it out and stick around. The GOP sheep don't really care as long as it wasn't an underage thing.
Posted by: Mark | August 27, 2007 at 04:41 PM
I think the party will ask him to resign and give the incumbency to the next worthless toad. Although they really don't need the help to keep the seat, unfortunately.
Posted by: Jay | August 27, 2007 at 04:59 PM
And he replies ....
Sen. Craig issued this statement today in response to inquiries from the media:
"At the time of the 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."
t
Posted by: theresa | August 27, 2007 at 05:04 PM
t, I just saw that on KTVB. He had two months! from the time of arrest to the guilty plea. You can't tell me that he didn't have some sort of legal advice during that time...unless he's the most inept politician of all time!
Posted by: MountainGoat | August 27, 2007 at 05:06 PM
What is really sad is the rubes who put him in office will believe every word out of his mouth.
Posted by: Mark | August 27, 2007 at 05:08 PM
If Craig resigns, how is his replacement selected?
Posted by: Blue in ID | August 27, 2007 at 05:10 PM
The governor can appoint anyone to his liking to fill Craig's seat until the coming election or a special election.
Posted by: Tara Rowe | August 27, 2007 at 05:12 PM
Yeah Roll Call quoted him as defending his "wide stance" in public restrooms. This should be late night fodder for awhile.
Frankly resignation never crossed my mind. What's his motive for resigning? I think he plays the misinterpretation card for all its worth cause he have trouble sitting on the payroll of too many Boards if he's tainted with a sex crime and validates it by resigning in disgrace. But who knows? Sometimes the story becomes more than the event it covers.
Posted by: Sisyphus | August 27, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Resignation didn't cross my mind either, I was simply answering the question of what would happen.
Posted by: Tara Rowe | August 27, 2007 at 05:26 PM
Sorry t, I was several responses behind when I posted. Damn that work gets in the way of my blogging.
Posted by: Sisyphus | August 27, 2007 at 05:28 PM
I know MG I burst out LAUGHING "that seriously is the best reply you have to media questions today??" being my thought.
I think his thoughts were much more along the lines that gee no one in Idaho will know what happens out of state.
Sadly that same thought process seems to apply to some of what happens in DC.
t
Posted by: theresa | August 27, 2007 at 05:38 PM
Sisyphus - giggles no worries!
t
Posted by: theresa | August 27, 2007 at 05:43 PM
Yeah, I'd like to know why the police officer who was handed Craig's business card noting that he was a US Senator didn't think that any of that info was news worthy.
Posted by: MountainGoat | August 27, 2007 at 05:44 PM
Here's the whole police report, one that has extra pages regarding the senator's contact with police and not on TSG. http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/08/28/craig.incident.report.pdf
The senator specifically requests contact info for his lawyer.
Also here as an excellent in depth discussion by Glenn Greenwald on the right wing's duplicity. http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/08/28/craig/index.html
Posted by: Sisyphus | August 28, 2007 at 10:41 AM