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Line 21: − + − ===Arrest and guilty plea===+ − On June 11, 2007, Craig was arrested in a mens' room at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. An undercover police officer was working a plainclothes detail in the restroom because the police had received citizen complaints about sexual activity there.<ref name="smokinggun1>[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig1.html Report filed by arresting officer, page 1.]</ref> According to the officer's report, he was seated in a stall in the mens' room and observed Craig peering through a crack in the stall, then looking down at his fingers and fidgeting, a cycle that continued for two minutes.<!-- <ref name=smokinggun1/> --> Craig then entered the stall to the officer's left and put his suitcase against the door of the stall, which the officer said in his experience was a typical stratagem used by persons engaged in what the officer calls "lewd conduct" to block the view from outside the stalls.<!-- <ref name=smokinggun1/> --> Craig then tapped his right foot, a signal that the officer said was used by people who wish to engage in lewd conduct and then moved his right foot until it touched the officer's foot.<!-- <ref name=smokinggun1/> --> Craig then swiped his left hand, palm up, along the bottom of the divider between the two men's stalls.<!-- <ref name=smokinggun1/> --> The officer then showed Craig his badge under the stall divider, causing Craig to respond, "No."<ref name=smokinggun1/> Upon arrest, Craig was taken to the police operations center at the airport where he handed the arresting officer a business card that identified him as a U.S. Senator and asked, "What do you think about that."<ref>[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig2.html Report filed by arresting officer, page 2.]</ref> − − On June 26, 2007, the arresting officer filed a criminal complaint with two separate charges against Craig,<ref>[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig4.html Supplement to arresting officer's report.]</ref> one count of interference with privacy, related to Craig's peeping on the officer while the officer was sitting in the stall, and one count of disorderly conduct, related to Craig's signaling a desire to engage in sexual conduct with Craig in the stall.<ref>[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig6.html Arresting officer's complaint, page 2.]</ref> On August 1, 2007, Craig entered a guilty plea by mail to the charge of disorderly conduct and the peeping charge was dropped.<ref>''[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0828071craig8.html State of Minnesota v Larry Edward Craig]''</ref> − − ===Aftermath=== − After the news of his arrest broke the Republican Party stripped Craig of his committee assignments. Craig resigned his position with [[Mitt Romney]]'s presidential campaign.<ref>http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/28/craig/?rsssource=1</ref> This stands in stark contrast to the way the Democrats handled the [[Monica Lewinsky]] scandal. − − Line 39:
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Reverted edits by Tradcon (Talk); changed back to last version by Jinkas
Craig chaired the Senate Republican Policy Committee (1996-2003), the Special Committee on Aging (One Hundred Eighth Congress), and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (One Hundred Ninth Congress).
Craig chaired the Senate Republican Policy Committee (1996-2003), the Special Committee on Aging (One Hundred Eighth Congress), and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (One Hundred Ninth Congress).
==Bathroom arrest and possible resignation==
==Controversy==
On September 1, 2007, Craig announced he intended to resign from the Senate (effective September 30, 2007) after reports surfaced about an incident in June which he was arrested on a [[misdemeanor]] charge in a Minneapolis police airport sting operation in which Craig claimed entrapment. <ref>[http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/Craigtranscript.pdf Transcript of arrest interview] [http://www.break.com/index/senator-craig-police-audio-tape.html Audio]</ref> Craig is a regular commuter through the Minneapolis airport. Given a choice of immediately going to jail to process a plea of innocence, Craig pled guilty so he could finish his final flight home.{{fact}} He had hoped to keep the arrest quiet, didn’t consult a lawyer, and he never told family, friends, staff or colleagues about the incident. Craig has hired two Washington criminal defense lawyers, Stan Brand, who has defended lawmakers before, and Billy Martin, whose most recent client was NFL quarterback [[Michael Vick]]. Craig also retained one of the capital’s top public-relations experts, Judy Smith, who handled press for [[Monica Lewinsky]] and more recently for U.S. Rep. [[William Jefferson]]. <ref>[http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/149810.html Craig may not quit after all if he's cleared of charges, spokesman says], By GREGORY HAHN AND ERIKA BOLSTAD - ''Idaho Statesman'', 09/04/07.</ref>
On September 1, 2007, Craig announced he intended to resign from the Senate (effective September 30, 2007) after reports surfaced about an incident in June which he was arrested on a [[misdemeanor]] charge in a Minneapolis police airport sting operation in which Craig claimed entrapment. <ref>[http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/Craigtranscript.pdf Transcript of arrest interview] [http://www.break.com/index/senator-craig-police-audio-tape.html Audio]</ref> Craig is a regular commuter through the Minneapolis airport. He had hoped to keep the arrest quiet, didn’t consult a lawyer, and he never told family, friends, staff or colleagues about the incident. Craig has hired two Washington criminal defense lawyers, Stan Brand, who has defended lawmakers before, and Billy Martin, whose most recent client was NFL quarterback [[Michael Vick]]. Craig also retained one of the capital’s top public-relations experts, Judy Smith, who handled press for [[Monica Lewinsky]] and more recently for U.S. Rep. [[William Jefferson]]. <ref>[http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/149810.html Craig may not quit after all if he's cleared of charges, spokesman says], By GREGORY HAHN AND ERIKA BOLSTAD - ''Idaho Statesman'', 09/04/07.</ref>
Former President [[Bill Clinton]] said on [[CNN]]'s ''Larry King Live'',
Former President [[Bill Clinton]] said on [[CNN]]'s ''Larry King Live'',
Craig has also received support from Senator [[Arlen Specter]], and Sidney Smith, a spokesman for Larry Craig, has stated that the decision to resign may not be final.<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RF0EGO0&show_article=1</ref> Interestingly a poll one week after the news became a public, Liberals rated Craig the highest of groups classed by ideology in response to the question "How much respect do you have for Larry Craig?" <ref>[http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=6b5c7c9c-9b96-4c80-ad91-090eb7869c8f Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #12589].</ref>
Craig has also received support from Senator [[Arlen Specter]], and Sidney Smith, a spokesman for Larry Craig, has stated that the decision to resign may not be final.<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RF0EGO0&show_article=1</ref> Interestingly a poll one week after the news became a public, Liberals rated Craig the highest of groups classed by ideology in response to the question "How much respect do you have for Larry Craig?" <ref>[http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=6b5c7c9c-9b96-4c80-ad91-090eb7869c8f Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #12589].</ref>
Should Craig choose not to resign, his third Senate term will expire in January 2009.<ref> [http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143801.html (Idaho Statesman)] </ref>
Should Craig choose not to resign, his third Senate term will expire in January 2009.<ref> [http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143801.html (Idaho Statesman)] </ref> Craig earlier resigned as an adviser to [[Republican]] [[Mitt Romney]]'s presidential campaign.<ref>http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/28/craig/?rsssource=1</ref>
==References==
==References==