Senator Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty in Airport Restroom Incident:
I don't really know how to blog a story like this, but the Roll Call story is here, the arrest report is here, and the docket sheet for State v. Craig is here. Craig's statement released today: "At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions. 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."
Notably, though, the court hearing was about two months after the arrest. If I read the docket sheet correctly, the arrest occurred on June 11 and the plea hearing was August 8. Two months seems like more than enough time to consult with an attorney, even for someone hoping to resolve such a matter quickly and expeditiously. (Note that the statement doesn't necessarily reject the possibility that Craig spoke with an attorney about the case before he pled guilty; "advice of counsel in resolving this matter" may be different from "advice of counsel about the matter before resolving it.")
UPDATE: I kept comments open for a bit, but decided to close them.
Notably, though, the court hearing was about two months after the arrest. If I read the docket sheet correctly, the arrest occurred on June 11 and the plea hearing was August 8. Two months seems like more than enough time to consult with an attorney, even for someone hoping to resolve such a matter quickly and expeditiously. (Note that the statement doesn't necessarily reject the possibility that Craig spoke with an attorney about the case before he pled guilty; "advice of counsel in resolving this matter" may be different from "advice of counsel about the matter before resolving it.")
UPDATE: I kept comments open for a bit, but decided to close them.
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.
“My experience has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall,” said the officer, Sgt. Dave Karsnia, in the report.
“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. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area,” the report states.
The report said Craig swiped his hand beneath the stall divider several times, and Karsnia showed his police identification under the stall.
“With my left hand near the floor, I pointed towards the exit,” the report said. “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 that he was under arrest, he had to go, and that I didn’t want to make a scene. Craig then left the restroom.”
Craig was detained about 45 minutes and questioned by officers at the Airport Police Operations Center. At one point, the police report said, Craig handed the arresting officer a business card that identified him as a U.S. Senator and said “What do you think about that?”
Craig denied any lewd intentions and told police he has a “wide stance” in the bathroom and reached down to pick up a piece of paper from 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,” Karsnia wrote in the report.
http://idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143517.html
[Edited by OK to delete the use of bold for the quote]
nope.
-fidgeting outside of a restroom door;
-bringing one's luggage into the stall with oneself;
-tapping one's foot;
-reaching down towards the floor.
Yes, this could be some secret handshake (footshake?) ritual for those who are soliciting sex, but it is so benign - and so far away from actually engaging in lewd behaviour in a bathroom - that the entire thing sounds absurd.
Let us not forget, the only evidence of this "sex solicitation" was from the officer. There is absolutely not other evidence that Sen. Craig was attempting to solicit sex in a public restroom. Of course, he wears his wedding ring on his right hand, so that's gotta mean something, right? /sarcasm
What's surprising to me is that he just plead guilty. If he wasn't, in fact, trying to proposition for gay sex, then he should have fought the charge. I think he could have easily beaten anything they could have thrown at him. A police officers words against an ordinary joe would be no contest, but a police officers word against a senator? I'd be willing to try that in court if I were his attorney.
It's possible he could have miscalculated the the minor charge would go unnoticed, and that was preferable to a trial. But I'm inclined to believe the Senator is hiding something.
[Edited by OK, as part of it was a response to Dave D.]
I'd park some leather boys outside Craig's D.C. office with some more guys with digital cameras, have the leather boys yell "Yoo-Hoo!" at people inside the office whenever the door opens, and put the whole thing on Youtube. If possible, do this for all of Craig's offices especially including those in Idaho (better chance of an entertaining reaction).
The real problem with Democrats having gone so lefty is that they've forgotten how to have fun.
Craig needs to resign, right away, and let someone who is straight (or, at least has a bit better control over his sexual urges) fill out the remainder of his term. I don't think that this would be acceptable even in California for a statewide office; it sure isn't in Idaho.
Clayton, Craig is obviously straight, as I am sure he would tell you himself. It's just that all these gay men keep sucking his cock .