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Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom
Roll Call ^ | August 27, 2007 | John McArdle

Posted on 08/27/2007 2:14:41 PM PDT by Shermy

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.

Craig was detained for approximately 45 minutes, interviewed, photographed, fingerprinted and released, and police prepared a formal complaint for interference with privacy and disorderly conduct.

According to the incident report, Sgt. Dave Karsnia was working as a plainclothes officer on June 11 investigating civilian complaints regarding sexual activity in the men’s public restroom in which Craig was arrested.

Airport police previously had made numerous arrests in the men’s restroom of the Northstar Crossing in the Lindbergh Terminal in connection with sexual activity.

Karsnia entered the bathroom at noon that day and about 13 minutes after taking a seat in a stall, he stated he could see “an older white male with grey hair standing outside my stall.”

The man, who lingered in front of the stall for two minutes, was later identified as Craig.

“I could see Craig look through the crack in the door from his position. Craig would look down at his hands, ‘fidget’ with his fingers, and then look through the crack into my stall again. Craig would repeat this cycle for about two minutes,” the report states.

Craig then entered the stall next to Karsnia’s and placed his roller bag against the front of the stall door.

“My experience has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall,” Karsnia stated in his report. “From my seated position, I could observe the shoes and ankles of Craig seated to the left of me.”

Craig was wearing dress pants with black dress shoes.

“At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area,” the report states.

Craig then proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times, and Karsnia noted in his report that “I could ... see Craig had a gold ring on his ring finger as his hand was on my side of the stall divider.”

Karsnia then held his police identification down by the floor so that Craig could see it.

“With my left hand near the floor, I pointed towards the exit. Craig responded, ‘No!’ I again pointed towards the exit. Craig exited the stall with his roller bags without flushing the toilet. ... Craig said he would not go. I told Craig that he was under arrest, he had to go, and that I didn’t want to make a scene. Craig then left the restroom.”

In a recorded interview after his arrest, Craig “either disagreed with me or ‘didn’t recall’ the events as they happened,” the report states.

Craig stated “that he has a wide stance when going to the bathroom and that his foot may have touched mine,” the report states. Craig also told the arresting officer that he reached down with his right hand to pick up a piece of paper that was on the floor.

“It should be noted that there was not a piece of paper on the bathroom floor, nor did Craig pick up a piece of paper,” the arresting officer said in the report.

On Aug. 8, the day he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in the Minnesota court, Craig appeared via satellite at a ceremony that took place in Idaho in which former Idaho federal Judge Randy Smith was invested into his new position as a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In October 2006, Craig’s office publicly denied allegations that he was a homosexual made on a gay activist Web site — blogactive.com. Craig’s office told the Spokane Spokesman-Review that the charge was “completely ridiculous,” saying that the allegations had “no basis in fact.”

Steven T. Dennis contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; US: Idaho
KEYWORDS: 110th; agbill; airport; amnesty; ceepycraig; congress; corruption; craig; disgrace; doyouknowdorothy; fredthompson; govwatch; homeowner; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; idaho; immigration; inthetoilet; larrycraig; lewdlarry; lewdness; minneapolis; mittromney; perversion; pervert; perverts; republican; ronpaul; taptaptap; toetapping; ussenate; widestance
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To: newzjunkey

His support for amnesty along with this bathroom gay stuff will do him in.

He’s a goner


161 posted on 08/27/2007 3:43:39 PM PDT by tennmountainman
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To: AuntB

I can’t imagine all the ‘status’ in the world keeping me in the same home with this type of behavior.


162 posted on 08/27/2007 3:44:18 PM PDT by Guenevere (Duncan Hunter...President '08)
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To: Guenevere
This is beyond disgusting....it is vile!

I totally agree. It makes it all the worse because Craig was/is such a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and hero for the NRA. Shameful, and as you say, "vile."

163 posted on 08/27/2007 3:45:24 PM PDT by vox_freedom
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To: Victoria_R

There has been talk of Craig retiring beofre the incident. Lt. Gov. Jim Risch (R) wants to be Senator.


164 posted on 08/27/2007 3:45:37 PM PDT by Kuksool (RATS occupy Red States due free passes by conservatives)
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To: cmiller623

They are perverts by nature.


165 posted on 08/27/2007 3:45:46 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Fred Thompson)
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To: ConservativeDude

I’ve always wondered how two homos find each other. With guys and gals, it’s obvious, but homos? I don’t know.


166 posted on 08/27/2007 3:46:33 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Shermy

He plead guilty. He is toast.


167 posted on 08/27/2007 3:47:10 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Shermy; Sturm Ruger; Petronski
I saw this story several weeks ago when the Romney bots were crowing that Sen. Craig had endorsed Mitt. I was wondering when it would hit the MSM...here is a little gem from a Romney campaign announcement:

"May 22, 2007 -- Boston, MA - Governor Mitt Romney today announced the first 25 members of the Romney for President Idaho Leadership Team, a group of leading Idaho business and community leaders who will support Governor Romney as he campaigns in the state and across the nation. U.S. Senator Larry Craig and Lt. Governor James E. Risch will serve as Chairs of the effort.

"I am excited to join with these leaders from across the state of Idaho to talk about the need to bring real change to Washington," said Governor Romney. "Idaho will be an important state in our campaign to end the status quo and prepare our nation to face a new generation of challenges."

With today's announcement, Senator Larry Craig said, "Our government is in need of a proven leader like Governor Romney, who will put in place benchmarks and streamline our government using proven conservative principles. His message is resonating with voters and I'm looking forward to helping him on his way to winning the Republican nomination."

Joining Senator Craig, Lt. Gov. James Risch added, "Governor Romney has proven he is a leader who can get the job done whether in business, at the 2002 Olympics, or as the chief executive of his state. We don't have to take him at his word, we can look at his record and know he won't raise taxes, that he will bring spending under control, and that he'll reduce the size of the bureaucracy in our nation's capital. He is the candidate that will make sure our nation remains a world leader."

Background On Romney For President Idaho Leadership Team Chairs:

U.S. Senator Larry Craig (Payette) - Senator Larry Craig is a Co-Senate Liaison on the Romney for President campaign. He was first elected to the United States Senate in 1990 and is currently serving his third term. Senator Craig was the youngest person ever to serve as Chairman of the Steering Committee, a legislative action group for Senate conservatives. He was also Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee and is currently the Ranking Member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Senator Craig has been recognized by several national groups for his record of promoting fiscal discipline. Outside the Senate, he sits on the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors. Prior to his time in the Senate, Senator Craig served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Idaho State Senate. He and his wife Suzanne have three children.

168 posted on 08/27/2007 3:47:37 PM PDT by greyfoxx39 (I think all legal Americans should get 5 votes apiece to make up for the "new" voters.)
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To: Shermy

How horribly embarrassing to Idaho. How embarrassing to me....What an ass.


169 posted on 08/27/2007 3:48:08 PM PDT by Delphinium
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To: LadyBuzz

Yep - these guys are "normal".....just different...< /sarcasm>

These guys are SICK by any unit of measure...

One doesn't find "love" or "affection" in a toilet with strangers taking a crap.

170 posted on 08/27/2007 3:48:15 PM PDT by river rat (Semper Fi - You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: Owen

...IF it’s a wedding ring. And maybe when he’s out trolling he puts it on his right hand. Stranger things have happened.

A few more good republicans like this are sure gonna insure a majority in congress, huh? Wow.


171 posted on 08/27/2007 3:48:18 PM PDT by AuntB (" It takes more than walking across the border to be an American." Duncan Hunter)
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To: All
Remind me again why we have to keep electing "pure conservatives" to keep up with the "moral" standards?

They are all hypocrites. I for now on am voting on policy and "family values" can go to h*ll.

172 posted on 08/27/2007 3:48:39 PM PDT by codercpc
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To: Owen

173 posted on 08/27/2007 3:49:22 PM PDT by kenth
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To: codercpc

Craig hasn’t been conservative in years. Blackmail?


174 posted on 08/27/2007 3:49:57 PM PDT by teawithmisswilliams (Basta, already!)
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To: txflake; Buckhead

Ah yes.

buckhead.

TYVM


175 posted on 08/27/2007 3:50:21 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
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To: Bringbackthedraft
"I wonder if the good Senator is a good friend of Barney Frank?"

If he was I'm sure ol' Hot Bottom would have invitted him up to Massachusetts for that sort of thing. Believe it or not, in MA you cannot be arrested for that (hard to believe, I know). So if ya drivin through the gay sate in youah ka, don't stop in them rest stops unless youah a queah...they don't call 'em pickle pahks for nuthin'.

176 posted on 08/27/2007 3:50:22 PM PDT by DonGrafico (Gowd demmit bub! You ain't from around heah ah ya?)
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To: GOP_Raider
If this was so normal, how come they have to meet up in public restroom.

How come all the homo lovers on he leftist blogs are loving this so much?
177 posted on 08/27/2007 3:51:16 PM PDT by Delphinium
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To: Shermy

I wonder what Barney Frank will have to say about this?


178 posted on 08/27/2007 3:51:29 PM PDT by Fresh Wind
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To: codercpc

Obviously you haven’t been paying attention. The last thing the GOP (or you apparently) want are conservatives. Craig is one more open borders moderate and right up the current GOP alley.


179 posted on 08/27/2007 3:51:29 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Greed is NOT a conservative ideal.)
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To: Shermy; All

Um, it sounds to me that this police officer has an active imagination.

Still, Craig did plead guilty.


180 posted on 08/27/2007 3:51:55 PM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Dick Cheney should have gone hunting with Hillary." -- Yakov Smirnoff)
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