Ex-Senator Larry Craig back in the news: that bathroom incident was part of my Senate duties

By Jack Brummet, G.O.P. Sex Scandals Editor

Ex-Senator Larry Craig

Ex-Republican U.S. Sen. Larry Craig is attempting to derail a federal election lawsuit against him by laughably arguing that his notorious July 11, 2007, Minneapolis airport bathroom bust in a sex-sting operation was actually part of The Senate's business.  The  Federal Election Commission argues that he owes $217,000 in campaign funds he used to pay for his criminal defense. 

The FEC sued Craig, charging that he converted the campaign money to personal use by spending it on his legal defense after he was accused of soliciting sex in a Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport bathroom. 

"Not only was the trip itself constitutionally required, but Senate rules sanction reimbursement for any cost relating to a senator's use of a bathroom while on official travel,"  Craig's lawyer wrote in documents Thursday.

At the time of his initial arrest, an undercover officer said Craig tapped his feet and signaled under a stall divider that he wanted sex.  Some other ATIT coverage of The Senator around the time of "the incident."

Another Republican cork soaker takes a fall: Senator Larry Craig busted in the men's room scouting for man on man action

Go Larry Craig, go! Idaho Republican Senator decides to stand tall

Idaho Statesman unearths more dirt on Senator Larry Craig (with bonus audio clips)

Sen. Larry Craig to be inducted into Idaho Hall of Fame

Dear Senator Larry Craig: Send me an autographed photo, and stay the course!

Senator Larry Craig (yes, he's still a Senator) to skip GOP Convention in St. Paul

Senator "Wide Stance" Larry Craig defends his men's room actions and swears "I am not gay" - Bonus content: Link to a latrine debacle reenactment

G.O.P. rethinks policies on gays in light of recent events

West Dakota Senator Hoolihan endorses Obama, urges split ticket with Larry Craig

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Senator Larry Craig (yes, he's still a Senator) to skip GOP Convention in St. Paul

Senator Larry Craig (R. - Idaho), in his element

Among prominent no-shows to the Republican Convention in St. Paul later this month(indicted Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine,...every one facing major challenges to their re-election), is none other than Senator Larry Craig. He'll be busy working on an appeal that could allow him to change his guilty plea on bathroom cruising and footplay charges. The appeal will be heard in Minneapolis (the scene of the crime) the week after the G.O.P. coronation of John McCain...
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West Dakota Senator Hoolihan endorses Obama, urges split ticket with Larry Craig

Senator Otis Hoolihan (D), West Dakota

Another superdelegate has jumped on the Obama bandwagon. Senator Otis Hoolihan held a press conference in Crockett, West Dakota this morning to announce he was throwing his support to Senator Obama. Hoolihan urged Obama to run on a split ticket--with Senator Larry Craig (!), and asked him to put a lid "on all this fainting at rallies silliness."
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Sen. Larry Craig to be inducted into Idaho Hall of Fame

[Thanks to Jeff Clinton for passing along this news tidbit...]

Senator Larry Craig is about to be inducted into Idaho Hall of Infamy Fame. And no, this is not All This Is That pulling your leg! Check the AP story on CNN.com.

According to the Associated Press today, Sen. Larry Craig was selected for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame in March, well before he pleaded guilty to foot shuffling and disorderly conduct charges (a/k/a cruising). Earlier this year, you will remember that the Senator was busted in a sting operation in Minneapolis aiport's men's kaybo.

"Larry Craig has made a great contribution to Idaho over the period of 20-some years. At the time it was considered, this other matter had not come up," Harry Magnuson told The Spokesman-Review newspaper Saturday.



A few Republicans think "this other matter" should put a stop to the Hall of Fame induction. "Maybe in 10 or 15 years we can think of this hall of fame stuff. Now is not the time," said one Republican leader. "It's a sad day to be a Republican."
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Go Larry Craig, go! Idaho Republican Senator decides to stand tall

You may recall, on August 30th, we wrote a fan letter to Senator Larry Craig (and begged for an autographed photo):

"...I don't care what the Idaho Statesman or the New York Times say...I want you to stand fast and fight! Sure, they may be trying to railroad you with these trumped up charges, but please!!!!! stay the course! Do not resign or apologize! You fought valiantly against same sex marriage..."

As it turns out, the Senator did just that. After hinting that he would resign at the end of September (much to the relief of the Republican high command as well as the rank and file), Senator Craig backed off from his earlier promises and has decided to stand fast. To the horror of the G.O.P., the Senator will remain an issue throughout the election cycle, until his term expires in January, 2009. Throughout the upcoming election, voters will be treated to callbacks of the oral and anal outrages Senator Craig villified (in his public life, at least), not to mention replays of the foot tapping bathroom-cruising episode, and as always, a list of the G.O.P. miscreants who have been caught in gay acts over the last year!

Do we think that All This Is That played a small part in the Senator's decision to remain in the Senate? We'd like to think so! But then, we never did receive that personally autographed photo. In case you think we are being disingenuous, please understand that we want nothing more than for the Senator to remain in office as long as possible. Go, Senator, Go! As Frank Valli wrote: "Walk like a man/fast as I can/walk like a man from you..."

Go, Senator, Go! This is going to be a lot of fun. Not only have you helped open up a national debate on gay rights and other issues, but you have helped educate the American public on cruising behavior. Many more of us now know what it means when that black oxford in the next stall begins tapping and sidling over.

Other recent articles here on Senator Larry Craig:

1. G.O.P. rethinks policies on gays in light of recent events
2. Dear Senator Larry Craig: Send me an autographed photo, and stay the course!
3. Senator "Wide Stance" Larry Craig defends his men's room actions and swears "I am not gay" - Bonus content: Link to a latrine debacle reenactment
4. Another Republican cork soaker takes a fall: Senator Larry Craig busted in the men's room scouting for man on man action
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Dear Senator Larry Craig: Send me an autographed photo, and stay the course!

click to enlarge

On his web site, Senator Larry Craig invites us to write him for a signed photograph, which I did, and also passed along my best wishes that he not let himself be railroaded by these trumped up charges!

Recent articles on the Senator on All This Is That:

Senator "Wide Stance" Larry Craig defends his men's room actions and swears "I am not gay" - Bonus content: Link to a latrine debacle reenactment

Another Republican cork soaker takes a fall: Senator Larry Craig busted in the men's room scouting for man on man action
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Senator "Wide Stance" Larry Craig defends his men's room actions and swears "I am not gay" - Bonus content: Link to a latrine debacle reenactment

Updating last night's story on the cork-soaking Senator, we have a couple new items to share.

1) The Mug Shot (right after he pulled the old "do you know who I am?" defense):

Senator Craig's June 11, 2007 mug shot,
courtesy of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police

2) Two TV personalities on the CBS affiliate in Sacramento perform a rather funny video re-enactment of the Senator's latrine encounter. It is as hilarious as it is bizarre.



3) At a news conference today (with his wife Suzanne, who will, of course, file for divorce in six months), Wide-stance Craig said the only thing he had done wrong was to plead guilty after a complaint of lewd conduct in a men's room. He told reporters, "I am not gay. I never have been gay." "I did nothing wrong at the Minneapolis airport."

Our original story appeared here: Another Republican cork soaker takes a fall: Senator Larry Craig busted in the men's room scouting for man on man action
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