Sex-arrest senator to finish term

[Liebling:-)))]

Sex-arrest senator to finish term

US Senator Larry Craig has said he will not resign, after a judge refused to withdraw his guilty plea for allegedly seeking gay sex in an airport toilet.
Mr Craig said he would serve out the rest of his term, which ends in January 2009, but would not seek re-election.

Under pressure from party officials, the Republican senator for Idaho initially said he would resign from Congress on 30 September.

But Mr Craig then hinted that he might stay on after launching the appeal.

However, his appeal has now been denied, with a judge ruling that Mr Craig's guilty plea to a charge of disorderly conduct was "accurate, voluntary and intelligent".

Concern for Idaho

Mr Craig, 62, said he hoped to clear his name in the Senate Ethics Committee, which is only possible if he is still serving in the Senate.

The defendant, a career politician with a college education, is of, at least, above average intelligence. He knew what he was saying, reading and signing

Judge Charles Porter
Hennepin County District Court

The committee is reviewing the case on the request of Senate Republican leadership.

"When my term has expired, I will retire and not seek re-election," Mr Craig said.

"I hope this provides the certainty Idaho needs and deserves."

Earlier on Thursday, Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter ruled that Mr Craig's conviction was valid and supported by evidence.

"Because the defendant's plea was accurate, voluntary and intelligent ... the defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied," Mr Porter wrote in his decision.

He added: "The defendant, a career politician with a college education, is of, at least, above average intelligence.

"He knew what he was saying, reading and signing."

Mr Craig was arrested on 11 June by an undercover police officer at Minneapolis-St Paul airport for allegedly soliciting gay sex in an airport toilet.

Police say he made hand and foot gestures often used as signals "by persons communicating a desire to engage in sexual conduct".

He says police misconstrued his actions.

The three-term senator, who has represented Idaho for 27 years, has a record of hostility to gay rights and is a married father-of-three.

He insists he is not homosexual.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Sex-arrest senator to finish term

I was like :roll: when I learned those scandal last month. It's his PRIVATE, not everyone including White House...

We have similar "scandal" about German Consumer Minister Horst Seehofer last month as well. He (married man with 3 adult children) had an affair with young woman and expect his baby few months ago. He fought to save his 20 year marriage with his 2nd wife. She forgave him... He decided to stay married to her over his lover who has his child. His private situation doesn't bother German politicans because his private life is none of policitian's businesses.

 

[Reba]

I was like :roll: when I learned those scandal last month. It's his PRIVATE, not everyone including White House...

Except this happened in a public place. Airport bathrooms are for public use; they are not private.

 

[InTheGenes]

Except this happened in a public place. Airport bathrooms are for public use; they are not private.

Kindasorta... except that in the decision handed down by the judge (why I read all 27 pages, I couldn't tell you), he made reference to the fact several times (excerpting from previous court decisions) that a person can expect a reasonable amount of privacy, even at the urinals!

So... it's a public restroom in the sense that anyone can use it... but individuals are afforded a certain degree of privacy in that public space.

As for the overal situation... I'm so over Senator Craig at this point. I absolutely believe that he IS homosexual (which of course I don't have a problem with, except for the fact that he's been so ANTI-gay in his politicking over the years).

Only he and the police officer involved know what really transpired in those stalls, but I'm just more than a little disgusted with his attempts to weasel his way out the situation. From the showing of his business card indicating that he's a US Senator and then proclaiming "what do you think about THAT?", to the scene he made at the airport police station the 2nd time he went there, to the press conference, to the saying he IS stepping down, to saying "on second thought, I'm going to stick around a little longer while I attempt to have the guilty plea withdrawn", to "Ok, fine, I can't have it withdrawn, but I'm still going to stick around, no matter what I said before".

And the attempt to have the guilty plea withdrawn, in and of ITSELF, I find smarmy.

Just leave, already! You're just embarrassing yourself further, I say.

 

[Reba]

Kindasorta... except that in the decision handed down by the judge (why I read all 27 pages, I couldn't tell you), he made reference to the fact several times (excerpting from previous court decisions) that a person can expect a reasonable amount of privacy, even at the urinals!

Yes, a person has an expectation of privacy to use a urinal or stall to take care of one's business for which the facilities are designed. One's privacy is boundered by the actual walls of the stall or the "virtual" walls of separation between urinals. Going over or under or thru the walls is an invasion of privacy.

They are public in the sense that everyone at the airport has access to them.

So... it's a public restroom in the sense that anyone can use it... but individuals are afforded a certain degree of privacy in that public space.

Right. Someone using a toilet or urinal expects to be left alone while TCB. No straying eyes, hands, feet, or voices.

As for the overal situation... I'm so over Senator Craig at this point. I absolutely believe that he IS homosexual (which of course I don't have a problem with, except for the fact that he's been so ANTI-gay in his politicking over the years).

Only he and the police officer involved know what really transpired in those stalls, but I'm just more than a little disgusted with his attempts to weasel his way out the situation. From the showing of his business card indicating that he's a US Senator and then proclaiming "what do you think about THAT?", to the scene he made at the airport police station the 2nd time he went there, to the press conference, to the saying he IS stepping down, to saying "on second thought, I'm going to stick around a little longer while I attempt to have the guilty plea withdrawn", to "Ok, fine, I can't have it withdrawn, but I'm still going to stick around, no matter what I said before".

And the attempt to have the guilty plea withdrawn, in and of ITSELF, I find smarmy.

Just leave, already! You're just embarrassing yourself further, I say.

Really, he does need to quietly disappear. Such a jerk! He messed up, and now is trying to weasel out of the consequences.

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Except this happened in a public place. Airport bathrooms are for public use; they are not private.

If he did wrong at public place then it´s between police and him, not white house.

Example: If a man (not well-known policitan) was caught for do something illegal then is between police/law and him, not everyone including his employer but Larry Craig? Thats because he is a politican...

 

[TFWFalcon]

If he did wrong at public place then it´s between police and him, not white house.

Example: If a man (not well-known policitan) was caught for do something illegal then is between police/law and him, not everyone including his employer but Larry Craig? Thats because he is a politican...

It is not a problem cause he is a politician. There is different review two different public and private. In public rest room is much different from private rest room at home. Larry is make mistake being caught undercover cop.

 

[Reba]

If he did wrong at public place then it´s between police and him, not white house.

Example: If a man (not well-known policitan) was caught for do something illegal then is between police/law and him, not everyone including his employer but Larry Craig? Thats because he is a politican...

What does the White House have to do with this? I didn't see it mentioned in your linked story.

Craig's "employer" is the constituency of his state. They do have a right to know what he is doing.

 

[Barbaro]

I certainly agree with Reba and IntheGenes that he needs to go. Yes, he is a jerk.

 

[Quamie]

When you hold a public office you are in the public eye. Meaning he does in fact work for the white house in a round about way. His job and possiton calls for him to act in a certain way and he was NOT doing that. I am sorry but solicity for sex is ILLEGAL in our country.