A Minneapolis police officer has accused Senator Larry Craig of lying in an interview after his arrest.
Posted on 08/30/2007 6:37:17 PM PDT by Stoat
Thursday, August 30th 2007, 7:57 PM
A Minneapolis police officer has accused Senator Larry Craig of lying in an interview after his arrest.
WASHINGTON - The officer who arrested Sen. Larry Craig in a police undercover operation at an airport men's room accused the senator of lying to him during an interrogation afterward, according to an audiotape of the arrest.
On the tape, released Thursday by the Minneapolis Airport Police, the Idaho Republican senator, in turn, accuses the officer of soliciting him for sex.
"I'm not gay. I don't do these kinds of things," Craig told Sgt. Dave Karsnia minutes after the two men met in a men's room at the airport on June 11.
"You shouldn't be out to entrap people," Craig told the officer. "I don't want you to take me to jail."
Karsnia replied that Craig wouldn't be going to jail as long as he cooperates.
At one point during the interrogation, the officer told Craig: "You're not being truthful with me. I'm kind of disappointed in you, senator."
Meanwhile, more of Craig's Republican colleagues moved away from him Thursday in the wake of his guilty plea earlier this month to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct in the undercover police operation aimed at sex solicitors.
Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who chairs the GOP's senatorial campaign committee, stopped short of calling on Craig to resign, but suggested strongly that he should.
"I wouldn't put myself hopefully in that kind of position, but if I was in a position like that, that's what I would do," Ensign told The Associated Press in his home state. "He's going to have to answer that for himself."
Sens. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, each turned over to charity $2,500 campaign donations they had received from Craig's political action committee. Coleman and Collins both face potentially tough faces for re-election next year.
Coleman and several other Republicans - including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. - have called for Craig to resign his seat in the Senate. Craig already has agreed to a request by Republican leaders to give up his ranking status on the Veterans Affairs Committee and appropriations subcommittees.
Craig said Tuesday he had committed no wrongdoing and shouldn't have pleaded guilty. He said he had only recently retained a lawyer to advise him in the case, which threatens to write an ignominious end to a lifetime in public office.
GOP Senate leaders said they did not act lightly in asking Craig to give up his leadership posts temporarily. But they said their decision was "in the best interest of the Senate until this situation is resolved by the ethics committee."
On the tape, Craig and the arresting officer can be heard arguing over what happened in the men's room minutes earlier. Craig acknowledges that the men's feet bumped, but says nothing improper happened.
"Did we bump? Yes, I think we did. You said so. I don't disagree with that," Craig said.
But Craig disputes the officer's account that he swept his hand under the stall next to him in an apparent effort to advance the encounter. They even disagree whether Craig used his right hand or his left hand.
Craig said he was merely trying to pick up a piece of paper - an account the officer disputes.
"I'm telling you that I could see, so I know that's your left hand. Also I could see a gold ring on this finger, so that's obvious it was the left hand," Karsnia tells Craig.
"Well we can dispute that," Craig says. "I'm not going to fight you in court. I reached down with my right hand to pick up the paper."
Meanwhile, Idaho Republican Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter told CNN that Craig's loss of his committee leadership posts was "problematic," adding: "I'm sure Larry and his family are going to take those things into consideration as they go forward with their decisions."
Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said that "like most Idahoans, I was shocked by the allegations against Larry and by his guilty plea. However, I tend to judge people by the totality of their career and Senator Craig has been a dedicated public servant who has been an asset for Idaho for almost 30 years. At this time, I will not pass judgment on this matter."
NY Daily News page features audio from police interview.
Get him the hell out of the Rep Party. Isn’t he one of the shamnesty turncoats? All the media and the libs are doing is pushing him around the plate, enjoying the embarrassment of this guy’s homosexual behavior. Throw him out!!!!!!!
“I’m not gay”
No, you just like peeping at people through the stall door crack, playing footsie with them and then reaching under the stall trying to play patty cake.
Can we trust that the media will be likewise disgusted when the NEXT Congressman is caught engaging in this practice, regardless of party or political season?
The head of the GLBT Task Force and of Lambda Legal have both been pushing for decriminalizing of this act. Funny how they fall silent today in the most famous incident since George Michael was caught in a city park’s rest room.
Larry Craig should resign. He tried to perform a sex act in a public place. And his current explanation doesn’t pass the laugh test.
If he had been a Dem, the donkeys and the MSM would be circling the wagons around him, loudly decrying "police harassment" and "antigay bigotry". They would instantly attack anyone who dared suggest any wrongdoing and would elevate him up several notches in the Dem hierarchy.
Barney "homo brothel" Frank is just one recent example.
yeah, well, everyone knows that cops never lie, so I guess it’s open and shut....
His behavior is not acceptable in the Republican party.
But, he should leave the party fast.
No, you just like peeping at people through the stall door crack, playing footsie with them and then reaching under the stall trying to play patty cake.
Sounds like normal LibDem behavior to me. He just needs to switch parties....they will welcome him with open arms on the Left.
Who doesn't?
Yup. ....and so is the other GOP Senator from Idaho, Crapo.
He should proclaim himself a Gay-American and go on Orprah.
The end result of this bias is a GOP consisting of mostly ethical straights and a Dim Party full of queer crooks...
You are correct in your observations. Republicans clearly have much higher standards of behavior than democrats. We need to trumpet these differences, rather than stain ourselves apologizing for Craig.
“Barney “homo brothel” Frank is just one recent example.”
Don’t forget Cleveland’s dandy Mary Rose Oakar who put her live-in homosexual girlfriend in a government paid apartment.
But as long as the dems are just all gooey over dragging this “republican” homosexual’s activity out over a long, long time, I say dump him.
Who doesn't?
He was obviously displaying his Environmentalist credentials, in that he wanted to avoid wasting that valuable piece of toilet paper.
Of course, if someone is a homosexual who is fixated on fecal-related topics, a piece of toilet paper that's on the floor of a public restroom would be far more desirable than a clean one from the roll.......
Craig’s “I’m not gay” has the same ring to it as Nixon’s “I am not a crook”, and Clintoon’s “I did not have sex with that woman.”
The cops who are going in there and having to subject themselves to these perverts are performing a public service.
It is not a job I would want to do. But they should be applauded. They are trying to clamp down on homosexual perverts who would prey on innocents - possibly even your son or grandson.
Why some people on Free Republic are defending the public menace that is Larry Craig is beyond me.
Any politician who stand up to gay activists who don't want this 'cruising' crap to be curtailed are attacked.
News flash! Sex in public still illegal
"Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, president of National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, reports the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation have joined together to fight what they describe as "archaic" laws prohibiting public sex in restrooms and parks."
“this is not an amnesty bill and by the way I am not gay either in case you were wondering” lc
My God you have a sick mind. I'm physically ill. Thanks.
Unfortunately, to a mind clouded by the liberal fog, the difference is that Republicans are such crooks that many have to resign, whereas Democrats are such angels that none of them ever have to.
He did not have an actual homosexual experience in Minneapolis. There is no proof he had homosexual relations in the past. Just rumors.
Assuming the second paragraph is true, it means both he and his family have much at stake. Leaving now would reinforce the conviction he has been a homosexual all these years. He caved hoping to avoid publicity. He now has the publicity. I see no other alternative for him.
Resignation might please a few, but cowardice will please no one.
Excuse me - but Senator Craig was not accused of committing a sex act. He was accused of foot tapping. He was accused of peeping in a bathroom stall. He was accused of moving his foot over far enough to touch the foot of the police officer (wonder how far over that officer’s foot was??? into Senator Craig’s stall????) He was accused of running his hand under the stall wall.
He was not accused of committing a lewd sex act.
He challenged the police officer.
He denied doing anything untoward.
Tom Delay said tonight he does not know all the facts so he is in no way going to judge Senator Craig until we do.
Finally a Republican who makes sense!!!!!
If they ran for office as gay caballeros, then of course they would. You gotta remember , Idahoans dont really go for their senators crawling around public restrooms looking for sex
He ought to resign
Thats why we need to take this opportunity to loudly and repeatedly say that this guy is acting like a democrat and should resign or join them. If repeated enough some will get the message.
It is really important that before everyone hangs this guy to understand the reality of police vice work. They cops know the drill and the signals and many of they put down in the police report those act which constitute the breaking of the statute even if untrue.
In this case if Craig is a cruiser in the bathrooms, he too knows the signals the acts which constitute the offense. He would know what cops do and how they play the game of “I won’t put you in jail, you can just plead to a misdemeanor IF you answer me as I want you too. Craig was very naive and said yes to the bump of the shoe(and believe me cops make the first move often) saying the cops foot was close to the edge of the stall, yet denied the hand gestures. Craig would have denied everything if he were street wise.
Cops often lie on the reports. Especially the vice cops.
I, as a defense attorney had a client who the cops said cofessed to all the elements of the crime. The report listed each of the acts necessary to constitute the crime saying that he admitted each of them. Problem was that when I investigated I found proof that the guy spoke not one word of English. We set the case for trial, I told the prosecuter he better have his cop speaking Vietnamese by the time of trial or the cop would be duly impeached. The cop did not show for trial and the case was dismissed.
Too often, one cannot impeach the cop and juries tend to believe cops so most cases are not as easy as the one above. But make no mistake America. The justice system broken.
Let’s don’t jump the gun on this one yet.
Agree, Craig has to resign.
Idaho’s a safe state, appoint a Senator now and let that new Senator run in 2008.
Then,Craig can try to withdraw his guilty plea.
One thing I can’t seem to find the answer to -— did those cops bust anyone else in this bathroom sting?
Accusing the suspect of lying is a standard interrogation technique. It is the police officer’s job to get to the bottom of the story and this is one of many strategies used to elicit the truth from criminal suspects. Others include: good cop bad cop, false promises of mercy, confrontation with incriminating evidence, etc.
Although Sen. Craig is probably guilty as sin (based on previous incidents), the headline was poorly chosen and is not necessarily a reflection of what the officer came to believe as a result of the interview.
More shoddy reporting from the AP.
“shamnesty turncoats?”
He is not a a “shamnesty turncoats?”.
He is a Shamnesty ORIGINATOR.
GOOD RIDDANCE TO HIM
My God you have a sick mind. I'm physically ill. Thanks.
If my very accurate comment has reminded you of the very grim reality of what homosexuality is, then I've provided a useful public service. Remember these emotions that you now feel the next time some homosexual activists knock at your door, soliciting funds for their cause du jour.
He’s guilty cause the cop said so and we all know cops are never wrong.
“If he had been a Dem”
He would have been smart enough to get a lawyer.
He’s gonna get what he deserves when on uses poor judgement.
You defense attorney? No wonder it is broken.
I am with you and astounded at this thread.
One cop, who did not ask anyone else to witness his interrogation of this man, has said this. I listened to the tape and think this man declared he had done nothing wrong.
You have to listen to the tape and read the material about how he was targeted. All supposition, nothing there.
And there are some things the cop said that dont make sense.
This man is being tried and convicted and sentenced on this thread in a reflex manner that is disturbing.
Anyone who is so stupid as to solicit sex in a public bathroom at an airport is too stupid to hold any office.
That's it. I'm not taking any chances. I'm throwing out my iPod.
What I would really prefer is a public announcement about the possibility of some gay person hitting on me in a public restroom. I guess that would be out of line after all we would’nt want to upset the gay community.
Actually, I'm mainly seeing people who are proud of their Republican Party, and who want it to be even better, wanting him to leave.
I haven't heard anyone advocating prison time without due process.
“Resignation might please a few, but cowardice will please no one”
What a brillant idea. Let the democrats and MSM pound the GOP up to the 08 election. Mark Floey Redux.
The most sickening thing about this whole scandal is that even the RATS admit that if this perv was a fellow RAT, they’d be defending his “right” to troll bathrooms for homo sex. The RATS will always beat the ‘pubs in this area, simply because the RATS have no sense of shame.
Look, we all know a democrat would be applauded for coming out of the closet.
BUT, here in Idaho, we wrote his sorry butt off when he supported shamnesty. If this is what it takes to get rid of him, great. Amnesty will have 1 less vote.
I wonder if he has actually been compromised before? If there was ever any extortion against him from someone in the know.This is why people with shady and/or risky backgrounds should not be in positions of power.
BTW, how can you have a “wide stance” with your drawers around your ankles? Has anyone here actually come close to putting his foot under an adjacent stall? It is near impossible, particularly in an airport john. How wide are the stalls where he got busted? I’ve never been in one where I could touch my knees to the walls, so how do you get your feet over there when you are hobbled?
You defense attorney? No wonder it is broken.
I have heard that many times. Until you are wrongly accused you will unthinkingly say that. I have seen people like you change in a heartbeat when it happens to them.
I understand your frustration about the apparent lack of evenhandedness regarding this, but that's one of the things that makes Republicans better than Democrats. We eliminate our perverts as fast as possible, the Rats rally round theirs. We should be glad that the media is an unwitting accomplice in showing the American public that there usually is a difference when you go to the polls, even if you generally don't know a thing about the particular candidates.
When the Republicans cease to care about who wears the name, then this 'Good Housekeeping' seal's value will have been lost.
Exactly!
His video response the other day reminded me of when I watched Clinton on tv do the same thing.
That is absolutely false.
Tapping toes is not "performing a sex act".
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