Craig Vows To Stay In Senate Until End Of Term

Despite failing at his efforts to overturn his guilty plea, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) says he will not resign from the Senate until his term ends in January 2009. A statement released moments ago:

Craig Reaction to Court Ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Idaho Senator Larry Craig issued the following statement in reaction to today's ruling by the State of Minnesota District Court Fourth Judicial District allowing the guilty plea to stand:

"I am extremely disappointed with the ruling issued today. I am innocent of the charges against me. I continue to work with my legal team to explore my additional legal options.

"I will continue to serve Idaho in the United States Senate, and there are several reasons for that. As I continued to work for Idaho over the past three weeks here in the Senate, I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively.

"Over the course of my three terms in the Senate and five terms in the House, I have accumulated seniority and important committee assignments that are valuable to Idaho, not the least of which are my seats on the Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee. A replacement would be highly unlikely to obtain these posts.

"In addition, I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee - something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate.

"When my term has expired, I will retire and not seek reelection. I hope this provides the certainty Idaho needs and deserves."

UPDATE: Much more from the AP:

Craig's lawyer, Billy Martin issued a statement saying his client was considering whether to appeal the ruling.

"Senator Larry Craig maintains that he is innocent and there is insufficient evidence to support a finding that he is guilty," Martin said. "Thus, we renew our arguments that it is manifestly unjust to deny Senator Craig's request to withdraw his guilty plea. Senator Craig continues his steadfast denial that any inappropriate behavior took place at the airport."

Craig, in his separate statement, said he was disappointed in the ruling. "I am innocent of the charges against me," he said.

Comments

[rollup]

C'mon, this man is just taking a wide stance!

[The 13 Colonies]

Let him hang himself!!!­!!!!!!!!Th­e Democrats can just sit and watch..Cra­ig will do it again, like all perverts do........­...

[MI6troll]

...and Republicans DO like their Senators hung.

[SeconLine]

(rimshot)

[TBS]

Is it true that he was reading his Bible in the bathroom stall?

I Peter
II Peter
I John
II John
III John

[HumeSkeptic]

Besides, since when tap dancing a crime?

[MI6troll]

Chief Justice Thomas and Friends comment on the Craig situation:

http://ken_ashford.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/couldnt_be_gayer_if_they_were_in_chaps.jpg

[Thalia]

Roberts.

[Thalia]

Thomas is the Republican approved sexual harasser and pervert (another one).

[MI6troll]

excuse me. Chier Justice Roberts.

[MI6troll]

one last attempt. ChieF

[ROBOT8]

REPUBLICANS ARE SEXUALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY DYSFUNCTIONAL AND THEY EAT THEIR WOUNDED.RE­PUBLICANS WHO PAY HOOKERS IN WASHINGTON and SNEAK AROUND ARE RESPECTABLE AND GAY ONES?????.­......GOD FARIN' SODOMITES ONE AND ALL how come the dems don't waste $60 million on investigations like clinton's?

[hugs4u]

Craig is a poster boy for repukeicans family values.

[Thalia]

According to BJ, we are allowed to ride (pun intended) Craig until he "admits it and apologizes­."

And even after he does!

[HumeSkeptic]

What did Craig do to BJ?

[Thalia]

I think BJ thinks the country can't survive unless folks admit to and apologize for their personal sexual matters.

Of course, BJ is exempt.

So, I gather we are in a Constiutional crisis until Craig admits he's gay and done wrong.

Sigh.

Put Iraq and Afghanistan on hold, please! We've got a REAL crisis here!

[PaHairO]

The gift that won't quit giving.

Thank you very much, Senator Craig!

[forpeace]

*

He wants to stay until end of term to take advantage of the FREE benefits paid by Tax Payers!

*

[HumeSkeptic]

Such as public restrooms.

[MI6troll]

The Republican Party Convention Honor Guard practices:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_iH1GhM2j8

[JaneC]

ROFLMAO..S­top!!

[Thalia]

Lol.

[JaneC]

I'll raise you one:

http://home.centurytel.net/timesarrow/hastertped.jpg

[kenlog]

I'm choking on my chicken dinner.

(No. Seriously.­)

[HumeSkeptic]

The new Republical Guard.

[HumeSkeptic]

They're fixing the restroom where Craig was arrested.

Isn't that proof that the problem was with the restroom, and not with Craig?

[Thalia]

Lol.

You want them to "fix" Craig?

[HumeSkeptic]

Dobson can cure him, then run him as a third party candidate. He would blow all the Republican candidates (off).

[supergranny]

who are all those boring white people around him in the photo, and how did they all fit into that bathroom stall. they look like the kind of people who go to Costco to eat the free food samples.

[bushmocker]

I haven't seen any Democrats working on getting Craig out of office,we may be laughing but it's the Republicans that are so pissed and want him gone.Some trolls are trying to pin it on Dems and still are afraid to stick up for Larry,pitiful people.

[Richard729]

Larry Craig should stick around at least until November 2008 just so the public gets a clear picture of what this depraved Republican Party truly represents. Not that it makes any difference to those voters in Idaho who elected him. They undoubtedly would keep him in office if he ran for reelection.

But, the rest of the (cognizant) country needs to observe this odious, repulsive vermin over the next 14 months as he tries to insulate himself in his little cocoon of self-righteousness. Watch his charade as he tries to foist himself off as a man of superior spiritual and moral values, traits which are nothing but a veneer and a cloak of lies which reflect the dishonesty of the entire Republican Party and their sordid hypocritical characters like Larry Craig.

Lies were the catalyst that prompted Bush to bomb, invade and occupy Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Lies prompted former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to usher in a new era of totalitarian government when he said that Bush has unbridled powers to torture with impunity, murder tens of thousands of Iraqi men, women and children and put 3.810 U.S. military in body bags.

Lies were told to the American people that mushroom clouds would appear over U.S. cities unless we forfeited our civil liberties and freedoms and authorize Bush to spy on, arrest without cause, deny access to our courts or legal representation, any person, including American citizens.

So, why should Larry Craig, one of Bush's most loyal anti-U.S. Constitution enablers, be drummed out of the U.S. Senate for acting in a manner any different from his corrosive, corrupt Republican colleagues who never saw a miasma too noxious or a toilet stall too putrid for any of them to drink their swill from?

[project]

Richard729
I hope you don't mind I sent your comments to my senator mcconnell along with my wishes that he resign now.
thank you.

[canika]

If he had a republican governor, they would show us how their party does not tolerate this sort of behavior.

[MI6troll]

Idaho DOES have a Republican Governor. That is why the Republicans want Craig to resign. A Republican would appoint his replacement.

Vitter is getting a pass because his replacement would be made by a Democratic Governor.