Mr. Craig Stays (And his Republican colleagues squirm)

Washington Post ^ | 7 October 2007 | Editorial Staff

[shrinkermd]

THE SORDID saga of Larry Craig in the bathroom stall seems certain to continue, now that the Idaho Republican senator has reversed his decision to resign and said he will serve the remainder of his term. Mr. Craig's zigzags have only added to the circus atmosphere...

All that said, this was Mr. Craig's call and he is entitled to make it. For the same reasons that we had qualms about the basis for his prosecution, we think demands that he leave or be ousted from the Senate are overblown and unwarranted. Mr. Craig's behavior in a Minneapolis airport restroom was almost certainly the prelude to something criminal -- not homosexual conduct but sex in a public place -- but we are sympathetic to his argument that the ballet of toe-tapping did not rise to the level of criminal disorderly conduct.

Mr. Craig's lawyer, Stanley Brand, notes that the ethics panel has never taken up a case involving a misdemeanor, much less one that has nothing to do with a lawmaker's official duties. The ethics committee should think more than twice before getting involved in an investigation of Mr. Craig's unseemly escapades.

[rockabyebaby]

Look Larry, it’s time to pack up your stuff and leave, punch out Larry, your time here is done, just go away already. The longer you stay, the more of a fool you look.

[Brilliant]

It just proves he’s guilty in my mind.

[George W. Bush]

Formerly announce he's out of the party and remove his committee positions.

I don't think we can eject anyone from the GOP. Dims, same thing.

He's already off the committees, no plans to put him back on any of them.

[TheBattman]

The sorry excuse for human waste is a homosexual, who engages in illegal activities to pursue his immoral choice of lifestyle (supposedly behind his “un-knowing” wife’s back), lies about it to his constituents, then pleads guilty, then tries to play the system to get out of his plea, then ignores his own resignation because he just cannot stand giving up power.

He must go.

[Vigilanteman]

A recall campaign was waged against Former Idaho Senator Frank Church in 1967 by N. Idaho Republican Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin. Rankin unsuccessfully sued Idaho's Secretary of State to accept the recall petitions. Some political prognosticators claimed the failed effort against Sen. Church generated sympathy votes in his re-election the following year.

More likely, it was because Idaho was still within the grips of the Prairie Empire Syndrome, a time-tested theory which explains why rural areas with conservative values elect far-left legislators in return for pork.

[Jim Noble]

Of course the Republicans in theory could do something

What, exactly?

It takes 67 votes to expel a Senator. Since there are at least 34 Senators who think what Larry Craig did was the epitome of romance, there's no chance of his expulsion.

The GOP minority caucus already took away his committee assignments and made a nasty face at him.

That's about the extent of what they can do.

[longtermmemmory]

craig wants to be the new Foley.