Last October, while the Mark Foley scandal was still buzzing, we reported Mike Rogers' discovery that rightwing Idaho Senator Larry Craig is gay.
I have done extensive research into this case, including trips to the Pacific Northwest to meet with men who have say they have physical relations with the Senator. I have also met with a man here in Washington, D.C., who says the same -- and that these incidents occurred in the bathrooms of Union Station. None of these men know each other, or knew that I was talking to others. They all reported similar personal characteristics about the Senator, which lead me to believe, beyond any doubt, that their stories are valid.
Craig's spokesperson vehemently denied the story:
"The senator says the story is completely ridiculous. Mr. Rogers has no facts to back up his story. [The events] absolutely did not (occur); there is no basis in fact."
Well guess what? According to Roll Call,
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon.
Craig’s arrest occurred just after noon on June 11 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in the Hennepin County District Court. He paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation with the court that began on Aug. 8.
A spokesman for Craig described the incident as a “he said/he said misunderstanding,” and said the office would release a fuller statement later Monday afternoon.
After he was arrested, Craig, who is married, was taken to the Airport Police Operations Center to be interviewed about the lewd conduct incident, according to the police report. At one point during the interview, Craig handed the plainclothes sergeant who arrested him a business card that identified him as a U.S. Senator and said, “What do you think about that?” the report states.
What do I think about that? I think it's time for Craig to get new business cards that identify him as a Self-Loathing Lying Pervert.
I think it's time for Craig to apologize to Mike Rogers.
And I think the voters of Idaho should demand his immediate resignation.
Meanwhile has anyone heard any comments from Craig's homophobic allies like James Dobson or Pat Robertson?
Update 1: The police report is hysterical.
Update 2: When rightwing blogger Hugh Hewitt throws you under the bus, you're really in trouble.
Update 3: Over at DailyKos, mcjoan wonders why the Idaho Statesman has been sitting on Dan Popkey's expose of Craig's men's room cruising all year. Why? Because Craig is a Republican. As Atrios would say, this has been another edition of simple answers to simple questions.
Update 4: The year isn't 2/3 over, but Craig has already won the award for Best Legal Defense of 2007, as told by the arresting officer:
Craig stated “that he has a wide stance when going to the bathroom and that his foot may have touched mine,” the report states.
He's also earned himself a nickname that will stick with him for life: Larry "Wide-Stance" Craig. Knowing W's grade school humor, I'm sure he'll be the first to use it.
Update 5: I agree with Kos:
To me, it's pretty obvious that every conservative anti-gay extremist is gay. If you're not gay, you don't sit around obsessing over gay sex. If you sit around obsessing about gay sex, then you're gay. It's that simple.
It sure is.
