Judge refuses to overturn famous heterosexual’s guilty plea; Update: On second thought, I think I’ll serve out my term, says Craiggers
posted at 3:01 pm on October 4, 2007 by Allahpundit
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No surprise. The standard of review, you’ll recall, is “manifest injustice.” Craiggers claimed the injustice manifested itself in his case insofar as he pleaded under duress and didn’t really know what he was doing. A few problems with that:
Craig, a Republican, who was arrested June 11, had six weeks to make a decision that he would plead guilty to the charges that arose after he approached an undercover officer in the men’s room of the Minneapolis airport, the judge wrote.
“The defendant argues he pled in haste to prevent the allegation in this case from being publicized, thus doing damage to his political reputation. This pressure was entirely perceived by the defendant and was not a result of any action by the police, the prosecutor, or the court.”
The judge also scolded Craig for his argument that his plea was “not intelligently made.”
“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,” Porter wrote.
He was supposed to resign on September 30 but that was pending the ruling here. Presumably he’s on his way out, although since everything else comes up smelling like shinola for the GOP these days, maybe he’ll stick it out for awhile longer with an appeal.
Since no one but no one cares about this story anymore, I now offer you this video of a guy getting kneecapped for science. He too has a “wide stance.”
Update: Yep, he’ll be sticking around for a bit, just to add another stinkbomb to the campaign next fall.
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Now you can go Craig . . . today if at all possible. Enough!
rplat on October 4, 2007 at 3:08 PM
The judge took a narrow interpretation of the law; instead of the wide interpretation that craig preferred.
lorien1973 on October 4, 2007 at 3:09 PM
That vid was what I needed today…nice one LOL :-)
Ochlan on October 4, 2007 at 3:12 PM
Don’t let the stall door hit you on the way out.
Darksean on October 4, 2007 at 3:13 PM
Personally, I don’t care about Craig’s sexual preferences (or anyones’ for that matter), but I have to wonder if a man that trawls for sex in public restrooms is the kind of representation that Iowans want. Pretty definitively ‘low class’ if you ask me…
What really seals the deal as far as kicking his ass out of the Senate is the fact that this f@cker tried to use his political position as intimidating leverage.
You’re fired, asshat
Ochlan on October 4, 2007 at 3:15 PM
That stuff in the clip is amazing.
Troy Rasmussen on October 4, 2007 at 3:23 PM
I’m afraid that this Judge will be overruled on appeal. How could he possibly take judicial notice of the “above-average intelligence” of a member of Congress? I’m afraid that the Judge should’ve stuck to taking judicial notice that Congress is only full of flatulence, Communists, ne-er do wells and self-serving frauds. None of which should allow Mr. Craig to withdraw his plea.
OhEssYouCowboys on October 4, 2007 at 3:25 PM
He’s from IDAHO not IOWA. Check your facts before you call people names, it makes you look like the asshat.
Troy Rasmussen on October 4, 2007 at 3:26 PM
Being here in MN, I sure wish you people in Idaho would take this nimrod back home and never have him darken( or look under) our doors again.
MNDavenotPC on October 4, 2007 at 3:26 PM
Who da ho?
I da ho!
Ochlan on October 4, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Time for Mich McConnell to round up some of his gang and go have a “talk” with Larry Craig. Today’s ruling makes absolutely no difference. Craig’s political career ended several weeks ago and he (Craig) is apparently the only one who doesn’t see the handwriting on the bathroom stall.
highhopes on October 4, 2007 at 3:44 PM
Case closed. What do you think of that, Senator?
Craig will resign, saying he wants to spend more time in the bathroom.
pedestrian on October 4, 2007 at 3:44 PM
If we can get car manufacturers to line their car interiors with that orange miracle poop then clearly we can get auto fatalities to zero!!!
Silky pony should promise to do this!
Hoodlumman on October 4, 2007 at 3:45 PM
I JUST heard on the radio that he will NOT resign, but continue to stay in the senate and fight to clear his name.
Geez…
Hey, it’s not like we did much with a Pub majority in the senate anyway.
Darksean on October 4, 2007 at 4:02 PM
Is it just me, or is the guy grimmacing after he gets hit in the knee with that shovel?
srhoades on October 4, 2007 at 4:05 PM
Here Larry Craig sits all broken hearted…
Nineball on October 4, 2007 at 4:06 PM
“He was supposed to resign on September 30 but that was pending the ruling here. Presumably he’s on his way out, although since everything else comes up smelling like shinola for the GOP these days, maybe he’ll stick it out for awhile longer with an appeal.”
The man plead guilty to a lesser offense than soliciting. My wife has said he was a fool for pleading guilty to anything, a sentiment shared by many defense attorney on the ISBA email list, BTW.
Craig has been treated, as near as I can tell, just as every other defendant has. He has received equal protection of the law and fair adjudication as a result of his guilty plea.
He has not committed an offense covered by the Senate Rules. He has no requirement to resign his seat. While I personally think he should resign, I will point out that Ted Kennedy did much worse: He killed someone with his car, and he’s still in the Senate.
Then there is John Kerry, who not only LIED about his Christmas trip to Cambodia, but he visited Paris and illegally coordinated the actions of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War with the North Vietnamese, a PALPABLE ACT OF TREASON. In addition, he participated in a vote as a director of VVAW on a proposal to MURDER 6 US Senators in 1971, an ACTUAL act of “seditious conspiracy” and a federal felony. And he still sits in the Senate.
Then there is Robert “I am the KLAN” Byrd. A former official of the KKK. According to R. Emmett Tyrrel, Jr:
Further, in 1947, as a member of the West Virginia State Senate, Byrd wrote that he would “never submit to fight beneath that banner (the American flag) with a Negro by my side. Rather, I should die a thousand times, and see old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongers, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.”"
And on national TV, Byrd said on 3/4/2001, “There are white n*ggers. I’ve seen a lot of white n*ggers in my time; I’m going to use that word.”
And Robert Byrd still sits in the Senate (and presides over it on occasion).
But these “gentlemen” are DEMOCRATS, and the Democratic leadership will not move to oust them. And that’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans: Democrats EMBRACE their sinners, Republicans cast them out.
Where is the demand by McConnell and the other Republican leaders to expose THESE hypocrites and demand that THEY resign?
georgej on October 4, 2007 at 4:15 PM
The judge refused to let him “withdraw” his plea…poetry…
sabbott on October 4, 2007 at 4:23 PM
Surprise! He won’t resign!
I hope the GOP pulls him off of every committee he sits on and makes him a pariah.
Heck, censure him to boot.
Slublog on October 4, 2007 at 4:26 PM
Gotta get yer jollies where ya can I guess
Ochlan on October 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM
“Jiminy God,” Craig.
Please. Go. Away.
silverfox on October 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM
Haha.
REMOVE. I meant REMOVE…honest!
Slublog on October 4, 2007 at 4:39 PM
;-)
Sorry…I’m in a childish double entendre mood today…
Innuendo? In _your_ endo…
Ochlan on October 4, 2007 at 4:46 PM
The Republicans should disown this piece of garbage and throw a couple more closets open with him. I would hurt but in the long run when/if the next one popped up the Repubs could basically thank the LLL’s for catching what the leadership missed.
Having garbage like this in the party is allot of the reason why nothing can be done on what is supposed to be principle issues without passing the swill bucket around first, aka earmarks and like.
If the Republicans when in power had cut government tightened the budget cut taxes and tried to encourage basic morals 06′ would have been another banner year. Instead the porkers just kicked the swill bucket over made a mess giving the Dums a chance to fill the void.
C-Low on October 4, 2007 at 5:05 PM
And thus the annals of Senator Larry Craig continue…
Ya should have thought about that with your “(semi)intelligent” head…
Wanderlust brings Spectaclefreude. We can choose our friends, we’re stuck with our families, comes to mind.
Hope you don’t mind, lorien.
He should resign because he’s so dumb, not because of what his sexual predilections are.
Entelechy on October 4, 2007 at 5:11 PM
Thanks, Senator
SphinctorSpecter!pedestrian on October 4, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Idaho needs to throw out the trash.
rplat on October 4, 2007 at 5:32 PM
Wow… Repubs better get this guy to step down… PUBLICLY… or the they are in REAL trouble.
Romeo13 on October 4, 2007 at 5:33 PM
Have you guys seen this New Yorker cover?
factoid on October 4, 2007 at 5:34 PM
Romeo,
Why do you care?
Sue on October 4, 2007 at 5:37 PM
If Craig choses not to resign, then the Republican leadership’s only immediate recourse is to remove him from all his committee assignments.
He cannot be recalled by the people of his state.
He cannot be forced to resign because he didn’t violate a Senate Rule. If he plead guilty to a felony, that’d be a different story.
The only thing the Republican Party can do, politically, is to run an opponent in the next primary if Craig runs, and formally endorse the opponent and work for his victory.
As I noted above, while Craig is a disgrace who SHOULD resign, Kennedy, Kerry, and Byrd are much BIGGER disgraces, and IMHO, the Republicans in the Senate should be publicly castigating them for their misdeads, as well as Craig.
The Republicans should fight back, and show the nation that THEY and only they are the party of principle buy demanding that the Democrats treat Kennedy, Kerry, and Byrd the way they have treated Craig.
georgej on October 4, 2007 at 5:53 PM
Hello HotAir readers, for those of you who are from the great State of Idaho, I am officially announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate for the State of Idaho. I dearly love my home State and cannot wait to serve her citizens with my all of my heart and soul.
In light of the fall from grace that our current Senator has had, I wish to reassure all of my fellow citizens that I will respect and honor the trust that you put into your elected representatives and I will never take that trust for granted. I know that coming from the Rexburg area my turn off some voters from the West, in and around Boise, and the Northern Panhadle, but I assure you all of Idaho’s interest will be foremost in my endeavors in the U.S. Senate.
Troy Rasmussen on October 4, 2007 at 5:59 PM
The Republicans are screwed beyond belief in 08.
BadgerHawk on October 4, 2007 at 6:06 PM
And I can’t tell if you’re serious or not Troy, but if you are then good luck with the campaign.
BadgerHawk on October 4, 2007 at 6:07 PM
I am serious, unfortunately I’m currently in Illinois and I have to wait until school finishes next May before I can even attempt to begin a campaign. However, I am going home for Christmas, so maybe I can put out some feelers then.
My true passion is politics, and I would love the chance to run for this seat.
Troy Rasmussen on October 4, 2007 at 6:25 PM
Selfish pig. I KNEW it!
Either he lied to his wife when he promised to be faithful, or he lied to the court when he pled guilty. So this is totally not a surprise. “If it benefits ME, I’ll go back on my word.”
inviolet on October 4, 2007 at 7:41 PM
The GOP is lining up for the 67-33 threshold, making them effectively irrelevant to the legislative process.
Bradky on October 4, 2007 at 8:02 PM
Liberally so.
Lawrence on October 4, 2007 at 8:58 PM
Hat’s off to Judge Porter in this case, who was no doubt under enormous political pressure to see things Larry’s way.
In spite of what Craig is saying now, I still think there is a good chance that he will be shamed out of office. We can still hope, can’t we ?
And let’s not forget, we have Senator Arlen Specter to thank for all of this upset and disgrace heaped upon the Republican party. This issue was resolved and Craig was stepping down before Specter opened his pie-hole in support of Craig. I hope the Republicans remember that too when the time comes for Specter’s primary.
Maxx on October 4, 2007 at 9:07 PM
That’s not correct according to the Constitution:
Seems to me that Congress is running afoul of the Constitution if he is not removed from office. It clearly says misdemeanors are a cause for removal from office. The Congress should have their feet held to the fire on this, they are not above the Constitution, seems to me they have a duty to impeach.
Maxx on October 4, 2007 at 9:22 PM
Oh, well. We’re in the toilet for 2008 anyway. So who better to stay and represent us?
By the way, what are the odds that Craig has another wide stance between now and the end of his term? Uh, huh. We know next year’s October Surprise, don’t we?
paul006 on October 5, 2007 at 1:23 AM
Actually, I think Craig has it right here, though not for the same reasons. There’s a whole lot of unintelligent in his behavior in and around this incident. And I’d have laughed him out of court too.
Just beat it, Larry. Didn’t you notice the fork holes in your behind? You’re done, buddy.
Pablo on October 5, 2007 at 8:24 AM