Posted on 09/26/2007 12:42:57 PM PDT by shrinkermd
Sen. Larry Craig's actions an airport bathroom stall in June didn't constitute a crime and he should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea, Craig's lawyer argued today. In a 45-minute hearing covered by a crowd of local and national media, William Martin faced skeptical questioning from Hennepin County District Court Judge Charles Porter, Jr. Porter said he doesn't expect to rule on Craig's petition for at least a week and a half.
"Seeking to have a guilty plea overturned is nearly impossible and it should be," Martin acknowledged during the hearing. But he also argued that Craig's plea was not voluntary, intelligent or accurate.
He said that Craig's behavior at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport -- tapping and bumping his foot, sliding his hand under the bathroom stall and peeking into a stall -- does not equal disorderly conduct.
Martin said, "Craig vehemently denied committing or attempting to commit any crime."
Judge Porter countered that the disorderly conduct statute is intentionally broad and is intended to catch behavior that makes other people uncomfortable. Porter peppered Martin with a series of questions.
Metropolitan Airports Commission prosecutor Christopher Renz argued that Craig's attempt to withdraw his plea was flawed because it was filed too late and that he committed the crime by engaging in "a series of invasions into the stall space next to him."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
The police and the prosecutor charged him with two crimes. His second crime, that which he plead to, was a disturbing the peace generic admission. It was not an admission of homosexuality, homosexual intent and so forth. The recording of the interaction between the officer and Senator Craig bear that out.
Senator Craig was under the gun by his local paper—the editor of which was a liberal type who previously worked at the St. Paul Paper. They were looking for evidence he was a homosexual and had rumors only. Of course, if he was charged with the same, he was finished as viable Senate candidate.
The officer claimed Senator Craig would remain anonymous since he would not contact the press. Those that are so smart to second guess Senator Craig and counsel might also tell us who called the Washington DC blogger that broke this story.
Conservatives, IMHO, are far too quick to demand resignation or worse for those who have or look like they have participated or want to participate in some homosexual act. Since male homosexuality (point prevalence) is 4%, this means about 1 in 20 are open to Republican scorn and punishment.
Thus far, when the RATS want to dispose of a Republican office holder they either charge racism or sexual impropriety. We do the rest.
In the meantime, the RATS have unequivocal homosexual Congressmen. They also have a former President who solicited fellatio from a 21 year old female intern. In both instances public opinion remained unchanged or actually (in Clinton’s case) soared.
If you truly believe that you do not want homosexuals to serve in Congress—simply include such a prohibition in the Party Platform.
His American Conservative Union rating was 95%—one of the highest in the Senate.
You’ve got a point there....
in fact, you’re right. Public places should be out of bounds for that kind of behavior.
Janis Joplin—”Courage is nothing left to lose.” That is the spot the Senator is now in. Let us see what kind of man he is.
The only thing that could happen is the Senate could hold hearings and try to expel him. For the last 260 years no Senator has been expelled for an off duty misdemeanor.
If there was a man in a stall next to me trying to play footsie in a public restroom, I'd scream.
I am female.
Good luck getting the plea withdrawn. I understand that Judge Porter is a no nonsence Ex-marine with a short temper and little tolerance for games.
I predict that in two weeks he will say................no.
This is one case in which a little zero tolerance might do some real good. Teenagers are expelled from school, lose their drivers licenses, and generally get the book thrown at them for a whole lot less. Our illustrious Senators wrote those safe school laws. Maybe we ought to have the Senate declared an educational institution and throw them all out.
Sounds like your typical gay sympathizer.
And then he pleaded guilty....
Prairie? He's from Idaho.
“Freedom’s just another word for nuthin’ left to lose,....
Sorry, but everybody who heard the tape knows that the guy was cruisin’
Sometimes there are kinda straight conservative men who have this uncontrollable urge to have quickie anonymous sex with guys. I don’t get it, but it’s obviously not uncommon. Craig probably detached himself so thoroughly from this behavior that he didn’t think about it most of the time.
Staying in the limelight will just prolong the embarrasment for him and for Republicans.
I know that it’s like pulling teeth with tweezers to get those guys out of the Senate, but going quietly into that good night is the only sensible thing to do at this point.
True. Not too far from the Great Lake State of Arizona.
Just around the corner...lol
If Craig is guilty, what does that make Hillary Clinton re: her Hsu conspiracy?
Huh?
the two cases have nothing to do with each other
In Craig’s case, it was a conservative Republican caught in embarassing but not criminal behavior.
In Hillary’s case, it is a democrat who will never be caught engaging in actual criminal behavior.
Do the math!
“Craig attorneys say no crime occurred”
They’re right, of course — but once he pleaded guilty it was over for him.
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