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Line 24: − + − + + + + + + − + − Larry Craig's attempt to withdraw the guilty plea was rejected by a Hennepin County District Court judge on October 4th 2007. Senator Craig has indicated that his intention is to serve out his Senate term. <ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/04/craig.arrest/].</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>
→Airport incident: created "responses from other politicians" section & added cited reference to "letter of admonition"
On June 11, 2007, Craig was arrested in a men's room at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, by Sgt. Dave Karsnia, and charged with lewd conduct. Karsnia had been staging a sting operation in the men's room, based on complaints of frequent [[homosexual]] trysts, and reported that Craig propositioned him by peering into Karsnia's toilet stall, and tapping his foot against Karsnia's.<ref>[http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/ssi/craig_police_report_082807.pdf Lewd conduct: Report of Sgt. Dave Karsnia #4211, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department. (June 12, 2007)] URL accessed February 21, 2007</ref>
On June 11, 2007, Craig was arrested in a men's room at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, by Sgt. Dave Karsnia, and charged with lewd conduct. Karsnia had been staging a sting operation in the men's room, based on complaints of frequent [[homosexual]] trysts, and reported that Craig propositioned him by peering into Karsnia's toilet stall, and tapping his foot against Karsnia's.<ref>[http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/ssi/craig_police_report_082807.pdf Lewd conduct: Report of Sgt. Dave Karsnia #4211, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department. (June 12, 2007)] URL accessed February 21, 2007</ref>
When questioned after his arrest, Craig characterized Karsnia's behavior as [[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> Later, however, Craig indicated he planned to plead guilty to the charges, and continued on his trip. 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 returned to Minneapolis on August 8th, 2007 and plead guilty to a reduced charge disorderly conduct.<ref>John, McArdle,[http://www.rollcall.com/cgi-bin/texis/scripts/rollcall-search/search.html?subscriber_search=true&query=%22Craig+Arrested%2C+Pleads+Guilty+Following+Incident+in+Airport+Restroom+but+Says+He+Did+Nothing+Wrong&x=8&y=7 Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom but Says He Did Nothing Wrong], ''Roll Call'', August 27, 2007.</ref>
When questioned after his arrest, Craig characterized Karsnia's behavior as [[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> Later, however, Craig indicated he planned to plead guilty to the charges, and continued on his trip. 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 returned to Minneapolis on August 8th, 2007 and plead guilty to a reduced charge disorderly conduct.<ref>John, McArdle,[http://www.rollcall.com/cgi-bin/texis/scripts/rollcall-search/search.html?subscriber_search=true&query=%22Craig+Arrested%2C+Pleads+Guilty+Following+Incident+in+Airport+Restroom+but+Says+He+Did+Nothing+Wrong&x=8&y=7 Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom but Says He Did Nothing Wrong], ''Roll Call'', August 27, 2007.</ref>
A few weeks after Craig's guilty plea, the arrest story earned major press attention, and on September 1, 2007, Craig announced he intended to resign from the Senate (effective September 30, 2007). However, Craig announced plans to withdraw his guilty plea, and repeatedly denied unsubstantiated claims that he was homosexual. Craig 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>
A few weeks after Craig's guilty plea, the arrest story earned major press attention, and on September 1, 2007, Craig announced he intended to resign from the Senate (effective September 30, 2007). However, Craig announced plans to withdraw his guilty plea, and repeatedly denied unsubstantiated claims that he was homosexual.<ref>http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143801.html</ref> Craig 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>
Craig's attempt to withdraw the guilty plea was rejected by a Hennepin County District Court judge on October 4th 2007. Senator Craig has indicated that his intention is to serve out his Senate term. <ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/04/craig.arrest/].</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>
===Responses from other politicians===
Former President [[Bill Clinton]] said on [[CNN]]'s ''Larry King Live'',
Former President [[Bill Clinton]] said on [[CNN]]'s ''Larry King Live'',
:"Well, first of all, I think we ought to recognize that this is a very traumatic time for him and his family.... we should be hoping that he and his family can work through this ...I think that that is more important than the politics of this. The politics of this will have to be resolved by him and the Republicans in the Senate."
:"Well, first of all, I think we ought to recognize that this is a very traumatic time for him and his family.... we should be hoping that he and his family can work through this ...I think that that is more important than the politics of this. The politics of this will have to be resolved by him and the Republicans in the Senate."
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>
Craig has also received support from Senator [[Arlen Specter]], and Sidney Smith, a spokesman for 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>
In February 2008, the Senate Ethics Committee<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/13/larry.craig/index.html</ref> issued a public "letter of admonition" to Craig, charging him with "improper conduct," and unethical use of over $200,000 of his campaigning money for legal and other costs related to the airport incident.
==References==
==References==