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.
“I wonder if this is a current stakeout practice or just something that he ate?”
ROTFL!
What, exactly, did he do that was illegal?
I was shocked to find out that Billy Squier was hetero. Hard to believe after watching him writhe around in that pink tank top in that video, which effectively killed his career.
Excellent points. The bag by the door thing is just completely bogus!
A case of "Guilty men run when no one pursueth."
What needs to happen here is very simple.
Craig must resign from the Senate immediately.
Then Governor Otter should appoint Lt. Gov. Jim Risch to finish Craig’s term.
That will end the story and the humiliation to Craig and minimize the damage to the GOP. It will also give Risch a huge advantage going into the election and take the issue of Craig’s personal conduct off the table for the Democrats.
If Craig doesn’t step down, then that proves he doesn’t care what serious harm his behavior brings to the Republican party, and therefore it is up to the GOP to protect themselves and force him out without delay.
Don't be so modest!
"Senator Billthedrill" sounds like a suitable voice for the Great State of Idaho, given its mining tradition. ;^)
With so many perverts in the government nor wonder the gays are getting everything they want.
I just have to laugh - Drudge title:
BROKEBACK BATHROOM: SENATOR BUSTED IN AIRPORT SEX STING...
Craig's not gay, he just has a wide stance....
I don't like it either but what exactly should they do? Craig was vehemently denying the rumors. In Idaho, the two congressional seats are generally Senators-in-waiting. Does the party destroy the career of one of its own based on rumors which haven't been substantiated to a reasonable degree for most people?
I guess I'm part of the problem too. I didn't repeat the rumor until just recently. Would I support a closeted homosexual if I agreed with his politics? Yes but he would lose my support immediately if he began actively promoting a gay agenda.
Craig, has to go, how many votes were blackmail results?
I should be open to more variety musically.Someone once said nostalgia is analogous to a dog eating his own vomit.
I did hear this new singer named Amy Winehouse I want to check out again.
Yet,like Bob Seger said,”todays music ain’t got the same soul”.
Why is this coming out now? Sounds like a setup.
LOL I hear Richard Simmons has a giganticly wide stance.
Many on this site have wondered why GOP Congresspersons are so ineffective and wimpy. They don’t possess the spirit in the belly to fight the DemocRATS. I think this Craig thing is the tip of the iceberg. The GOP should be purged of these sex perverts. Your sexual mental state indeed does influence all the decisions you make. The GOP needs to return to the Lord’s tenents of the law not comply with the perversions rampant in Washington DC.
“Tap your foot and see what happens.”
I will never again even make the indication of possibly tapping my foot anywhere near a bathroom of any kind.
I'm suggesting that Craig should have alerted Romney to the fact when he was busted.
"U.S. Senator Larry Craig (Payette) - Senator Larry Craig is a Co-Senate Liaison on the Romney for President campaign."
Not just a "supporter" or "endorser" was he? What do you think the clinton/media propaganda machine would make of this if it happened to Romney as a nominee? Remember what happened with Mark Foley? The media used that to tar the whole Republican party.
Add the gaffes Romney has made like this one: ""One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."
If you think these wouldn't be used against him in the general election, I have some waterfront property to sell you in Arizona.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.