NPR: Internet Jumps on Story of Craig's Restroom Arrest

Internet Jumps on Story of Craig's Restroom Arrest

This is the kind of story that must give GOP leaders nightmares. It's getting a lot of play on the Internet, for sure.

Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho pleaded guilty this month to disorderly conduct after he was arrested in early June by an undercover police officer in the Minneapolis airport. Roll Call, a newspaper that covers Capitol Hill, reported that the plainclothes officer was investigating reports of sexual activity in a men's restroom.

According to the arrest report, "Craig entered a bathroom stall next to the police investigator, placed his bag against the front of the door and tapped his foot in a gesture commonly used to try to pick up men in public toilets," Reuters writes. The arresting officer, quoted by Roll Call, said he recognized this as a signal "used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct."

NPR's Brian Naylor reports that Craig, who was fined and put on probation, issued a statement Monday saying that he had complained to the police at the time that they had misconstrued his actions, that he made a mistake when he pleaded guilty to the charges and that he should have talked to a lawyer first. No kidding.

This is not the first time that Craig has had to deal with allegations of this sort. In 1982, he denied rumors that he was under federal investigation as part of a probe into allegations that lawmakers on Capitol Hill were having sex with pages. He was not implicated or charged in that investigation.

And in 2006, Craig called allegations from a gay rights advocate that he had engaged in homosexual behavior "completely ridiculous."

9:44 AM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

The consistent level of hipocrisy displayed by so-called right wing politicians has become more than an abberation. Especially those who publically rail against "immorality" in public while privately living the same lies. When will American voters wake up to this trend? By the way, the Democrats are no angels either, even though possibly operating less on the "down low".

Sent by Ronald Glenn | 11:34 AM ET | 08-28-2007

It's hard to believe that a person can be arrested for just putting his bag down on the floor in an airport toilet stall and tapping his foot. It's normal for people to take their bag with them into a stall so it wont be stolen and it's normal for people in a hurry to tap their foot. If I ever go to MSP again I'll be on the look-out for perverts who hang around in the toilets under the quise of being cops.

Sent by John Trueblood | 12:51 PM ET | 08-28-2007

I was arguing this issue with a co-worker yesterday.

We always elect "the lesser of two evils" in the hopes of getting our political policies represented. But all this does is fill the government with evil people.

Until we decide to grow up and stop electing our political representatives in such an irresponsible manner we are responsible for the unconscionable actions they commit.

I for one don't give a bullhockey about a politician's political alignment, or stance on any issue. My sole consideration for a candidate's fitness for office is the quality of their character, their moral standing, and their personal integrity.

Sent by Jody Sol | 1:00 PM ET | 08-28-2007

The sadly true Peter Principle says that this guy was probably one of the more honest congressional politicians.

Sent by dans | 11:25 PM ET | 08-28-2007

""It's hard to believe that a person can be arrested for just putting his bag down on the floor in an airport toilet stall and tapping his foot. It's normal for people to take their bag with them into a stall so it wont be stolen and it's normal for people in a hurry to tap their foot. If I ever go to MSP again I'll be on the look-out for perverts who hang around in the toilets under the quise of being cops. ""

So do you put your foot under the next stall and tap the foot??
And also run your fingers several times under the divider for good measure?

Wake up dear.Time to call a spade a spade and a gay a gay.
Ted Haggard Revisited.

Sent by Ted Hggard Revisited | 2:10 AM ET | 08-29-2007

The thought that Mr. Craig is innocent is plain naive. Perverts are highly organized, mostly over the internet, as to what places to engage in sexual activity, what signals to give and so on. Cruising sites have been around for years to show exact locations where they can hook up. Don't you think perhaps that could be why an undercover officer was there??

This was a big issue on the college campus at GA State where men and women were constantly being harassed on the fourth floor of the university library. Until the university installed card-only access machines, college students were preyed on relentlessly even though undercover cops were there almost daily.

Sent by Ms. Stewart | 9:25 AM ET | 08-30-2007

Bigbro's Top Ten Ways to Get a Date While Sitting in a Bathroom Stall:

10. Take off your shoes and socks and wiggle your toes suggestively.

9. Flush cherry bomb down the toilet. But don't run away.

8. Bouncing a basketball.

7. Throw a handful of cats-eyes marbles across the floor.

6. Play Moody Blues "Knights in White Satin" on Dolby surround-sound speakers, with black lights and incense.

5. The sound of a champagne cork flying.

4. Flush three times real fast. Wait half a minute. Flush two more times. Wait. Flush four more times.

3. Ricochet a Frisbee off the ceiling.

2. Yodeling.

And Bigbro's Number One Way To Get a Date While Sitting in a Public Bathroom Stall:

1. Say real loud, "Wow! That was really hard shaking those Secret Service agents. But now I'm all alone."

Sent by fred call | 5:57 PM ET | 09-01-2007

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