Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) indicate Alliance for the West, the leadership committee of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, donated nearly $25,000 to former U. S. Senators Jim Talent and John Ashcroft, including $10,000 to Talent during the 2006 election cycle.
Alliance for the West also contributed $6,485 to Talent in 2002 and $8,500 to John Ashcroft in 2000.
Craig, of course, pleaded guilty in June to a charge related to a police sting involving sex in men's restrooms at the Minneapolis airport. Craig now says he did not do anything wrong and should not have pleaded guilty. He has resigned his position as a Senate coordinator for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's presidential campaign:
"At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions," he said. "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, 62, is married and in his third term in the Senate. He is up for re-election next year. He was a member of the House for 10 years before winning election to the Senate in 1990.
7 comments:
Someone needs to give the guy the benefit of doubt. His crime? Sitting his bags on the floor and tapping and moving his foot in a way that a cop thought was an invitation for lewd activity. He did not admit to a sex crime. This could be a case of a cop with a perverted imagination.
Actually he did admit it, that's what pleading guilty is, obviously the law isn't your area of expertise. Also, the reason the cop was in the bathroom was because someone had already complained about what Craig was doing. Another aspect that shows exactly what Craig was doing was the fact that he passed his Senate business card under the stall partition to the cop, when he thought he was gonna get some action out of the cop and said "how about that." As if the other person would be so impressed that he gets to perform, or have performed on him, oral sex from a U.S. Senator. Isn't it hilarious how in recent years only Republicans seem to be the only ones that get in trouble for their gay debauchery. Sen. Craig, Mark Foley, Lindsay Graham (oh wait, he hasn't been caught yet). This is the party that constantly whines about how wrong it is, yet they seem to be the ones doing it the most.
Seriously, if you are a U.S. Senator, would you even think about pleading guilty to this if you weren't? Having worked in Idaho politics, I can tell you that this thing has been pretty common knowledge about Craig for over a decade, there just hasn't been enough proof to make it stick. The fact that he is gay is not the problem, it is the hypocricy that goes with his constant preaching about "family values" and his public opposition to all things gay. I think it is great that he is finally out of the closet. His constituents can now vote in a more honest environment and he'll probably be a lot happier.
No, Anon. 7:03, the law isn't my area of expertise. Reading obviously isn't yours.
The cop was not there because of a complaint about Craig. Roll Call, citing a copy of a report by airport police, said officers had been conducting a sting operation inside the men's room because of complaints of sexual activity there.
His guilty plea was to disorderly conduct - not sexual.
Minnesota law defines disorderly conduct as brawling, disturbing a meeting or engaging in "offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous or noisy conduct."
The cop informed the senator that he was under arrest, before any sexual contact took place.
According to the arrest report cited by Roll Call, Craig tapped his right foot, which the officer said he recognized "as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct."
I sometimes tap my right foot while sitting. I assure you I'm not wishing to engage in lewd conduct.
If a cop is told to go find something they will usually find it whether or not it is actually happening.
The left-wing is so eager to label a GOP senator as gay that they don't even stop to question the civil liberties questions raised by this situation.
Opps, "anon 7:48" your Republican placating is getting even more unstable, read the most recent reports of the event and the fact that people have been saying he's a homo for quite a while now. Your protection of all things Republican turns my stomach more than a little. But that's about all I can expect for the hypocritical right, I mean the conservative right.
Read closer. There's more than two sides to the political spectrum.
I have always heard the term "PLaying footsie" maybe thats what this is. Played footsie with the wrong one in the wrong place. Poor little republicans are always misjudged. He'll find Jesus and write a book and all will be well.
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