Quote: Originally Posted by Reuters WASHINGTON - A Republican U.S. senator confirmed on Monday that he had pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct earlier this month after he was arrested in June in a men's' toilet at a Minnesota airport. Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho was arrested by a plainclothes police officer investigating complaints of lewd conduct in the men's public restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to a police report cited by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. In a carefully worded statement, Craig gave no details of the incident that prompted his arrest on June 11 but confirmed that he had pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. "At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions. I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct," Craig said in a statement. "I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously." Craig, a married father of three, paid more than $500 in fines and fees related to the misdemeanor charge and was given one year of probation, Roll Call reported. According to the police report, Craig entered a bathroom stall next to the police investigator, placed his bag against the front of the door and tapped his foot in a gesture commonly used to try to pick up men in public toilets. "I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct," Roll Call wrote, quoting the investigator in the police incident report. Craig is in his third term and up for re-election next year. He is a former member of the Senate's Republican leadership and played an active role in the 1998 impeachment of former President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. Democrats currently have an effective a 51-49 majority in the Senate. In a June 2006 Senate vote, Craig voted in favor of an amendment to the Constitution to define marriage in the United States as a union between one man and one woman. The amendment was defeated by one vote. Craig is a strong advocate for the rights of gun owners. He has a close association with the National Rifle Association and at one time sat on its board of directors. In October last year a gay rights activist claimed in a Web log that Craig had had several gay relationships. Craig's office denied it, saying the allegations were "completely ridiculous" and had "no basis in fact." Craig's troubles follow an admission earlier this month by one of his conservative Republican colleagues, Sen. David Vitter of Lousiana, that he had committed a "very serious sin" after his number was found in the telephone records of a woman accused of running a Washington prostitution ring.

Bwaaahahahaha.

Ya know, generally if you didn't do the crime, YA DON'T PLEAD GUILTY!!!

Furthermore, the picture accompanying this story inspired me.

Before:


After:

A special thanks goes out to Donald Trump's weave for the contribution!

Here are several examples of legitimate reasons for his actions:

- He was rocking out to "Hot Hot Hot" by Buster Poindexter on his iPod.
- He was warming up for the Idaho State Hokey Pokey competition.
- He was impatiently waiting for the Viagra to wear off.


The thing is, as a straight man (not that there's anything wrong with that), I wouldn't even begin to know that tapping my foot was an invitation to illicit activities.

Furthermore, I'd be shocked if someone approached me due to an errant foot tap and I certainly wouldn't plead guilty to any charges related to innocent foot tapping.

Good luck on your re-election bid there Larry!

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I'll give long odds that within a week or so (if the media circus continues), there will be a tearful admission that he has a 'problem' due to an 'aggravating factor' in his life (i.e., drugs, alcohol, abused as a child, etc.), found religion, and with the support of his wife, they are going to move forward in life.

Wide stance? What the hell was he trying to pass, anyway? Maybe he should eat more fiber.

Picking up a piece of paper off the floor? I don't know about you but picking anything up off a public restroom floor is nasty.

I actually think I got propositioned in the toilets at Norwich station last week. Some guy put his hand under the cubicle wall and started waving at me. I left pretty hastily. No thanks, sir, not my thing!

What were you doing that night eh Dex?!

Quote: Originally Posted by reflux I actually think I got propositioned in the toilets at Norwich station last week. Some guy put his hand under the cubicle wall and started waving at me. I left pretty hastily. No thanks, sir, not my thing!

Maybe that stall was out of TP and was looking for a little help there reflux.

And for a little bathroom reading: The Smoking Gun

Personally, I think the cop jumped the gun in that case. He didn't actually catch him in any actions that were actually illegal. Nor was any of that disorderly. Regardless if he was trying to solicit something or not, he didn't commit any illegal acts.

Quote: Originally Posted by BuffaloChips Personally, I think the cop jumped the gun in that case. He didn't actually catch him in any actions that were actually illegal. Nor was any of that disorderly. Regardless if he was trying to solicit something or not, he didn't commit any illegal acts.

Those in law enforcement can back me up/correct me as needed, but the disorderly conduct charge is a way to lessen the charge and/or lower the burden of proof.

Solicitation is illegal even if the hooking doesn't take place... same as attempted murder, or conspiracy to commit X.

If he didn't have any criminal intent and/or think he was doing something wrong, why would he agree to the guilty plea?

Quote: Originally Posted by BuffaloChips Personally, I think the cop jumped the gun in that case. He didn't actually catch him in any actions that were actually illegal. Nor was any of that disorderly. Regardless if he was trying to solicit something or not, he didn't commit any illegal acts.

Yeah, I had the gun pointed at the head of my ex-girlfriend, but I wasn't going to pull the trigger.

Yeah, I had fifth of Jack shoved down the front of my pants, but I wasn't going to walk out of the store with it.

Yeah, I poured gasoline over the vehicle and I had a lighter in my hand, but I wasn't going to torch the vehicle.

Yeah, I asked if the dealer had any crack cocaine and I had money in my hand, but I wasn't going to buy any.

Yeah, I was tapping his foot under the stall and waving my hand underneath there, but I wasn't going to suck the guy's d*ck.

The Senator participated in the illegal act of solicitation. Trust me...he got busted fair and square.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, but I know Sgt. Karsnia from when I used to work up at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl Airport. He's a good cop.

Great... one more damn thing to be paranoid about in the airport...

They busted me for tapping my foot, I'd raise bloody hell. I'm in the can and I don't have anything to read, I might just tap my foot to stave off stress and boredom.

I don't what would be worse... having some guy try to come in and keep me company, or getting busted for not knowing what the hell was going on.

I think my first reaction would probably include a hardy "WTF!!!" either way...

Still, if I were gay... I don't think I'd really want an encounter in a freakin' airport bathroom. It's not exactly the most romantic of places. It usually smells like hell, there's people outside tapping THEIR feet trying to keep it in and waiting for the stall. Those stalls aren't exactly huge, and what do you say when you come out?

"Uhhh, we were both... ummm... in a hurry... so we used the same... uhh... facility. It just involves some balance!"

Or is it an invite to go somewhere else and I'm just taking this too far in my head? It's a possibility... I've slept about seven hours in three days... Anyway... I guess I can understand wanting that particular business put away quickly, but as a senator, to think he'd know SOMEBODY would find out about that 'un...

ADD:

Quote: Originally Posted by Rob Yeah, I was tapping his foot under the stall and waving my hand underneath there, but I wasn't going to suck the guy's d*ck. The Senator participated in the illegal act of solicitation. Trust me...he got busted fair and square.

Ahhh, is that how that works? I'm a little less paranoid now... I keep my feet and hands inside the stall for the duration of the... nevermind.

There is a big difference in putting a gun to someones head or shoving something down your pants inside a store and initiating some obscure kind of contact with someone. That is why vice cops have to have a verbal agreement or an exchange of money for there to be a charge of anything illegal. There isn't even anything illegal in looking at someone and saying, "I'd really love to ..... you." (you fill in the blank as you wish) Or even anything of the nature. It would be the sexual act itself or offering to accept or pay money for the act that is illegal. I think what he supposedly did is really pushing the boundaries. Look at hookers on the streets, cops don't arrest them for waving people down and asking if they want a date, even though that is the way the hookers solicit their johns. Undercover cops have to wait for something actually illegal like the agreement to accept money etc.

Quote: Originally Posted by BuffaloChips That is why vice cops have to have a verbal agreement or an exchange of money for there to be a charge of anything illegal.

No, they don't. It just makes it easier in court.

The Senator was trying to solicit sex, plain and simple. No verbal communication and/or exchange of money has to occur.

Just a thought, but you might want to trust me on this one. I know what I'm talking about.

Rob

P.S.

...and no, Gumby, it isn't homosexual activity that I'm talking about.

EDIT: DS, tapping your foot won't do it, but in combination with the other actions the Senator was doing probably will land you in trouble (i.e., reaching your foot under the stall next to you and tapping their foot, waving your hand underneath their stall, etc.).

What is illegal in asking for sex? I know guys that have walked right up to women in bars and said they would like to do them right to their face. Does that mean if it was a cop they could go to jail? This is ridiculous. If he tried to do the guy in the restroom, that would be illegal. I just can't see that waving your hand around and tapping your foot is illegal regardless of what someone else might interpret it to mean.

Quote: Originally Posted by BuffaloChips What is illegal in asking for sex? I know guys that have walked right up to women in bars and said they would like to do them right to their face. Does that mean if it was a cop they could go to jail? This is ridiculous. If he tried to do the guy in the restroom, that would be illegal. I just can't see that waving your hand around and tapping your foot is illegal regardless of what someone else might interpret it to mean.

No, it's not illegal asking for sex. Ask for it all you want.

It's illegal soliciting for sex and for that sex to take place in public (i.e., public restroom), which it is in this case.

Besides, they're just enforcing the laws that were enacted by your public representatives that we elected.

Maybe I'm just naive, but what EXACTLY did he do? Like, was he next to someone on a urinal and asked him if he needed another hand? Pop it in the glory hole? Whipped it out at the shoe shiner? What I am I missing?

Quote: Originally Posted by Gzim Maybe I'm just naive, but what EXACTLY did he do? Like, was he next to someone on a urinal and asked him if he needed another hand? Pop it in the glory hole? Whipped it out at the shoe shiner? What I am I missing?

It seems like Keith Olbermann answered my call...

UPDATE!

Quote: Originally Posted by AP MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota judge on Thursday rejected Idaho Sen. Larry Craig's bid to withdraw his guilty plea in an airport sex sting, a major setback in Craig's effort to clear his name and hang on to his Senate seat. "Because the defendant's plea was accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and because the conviction is supported by the evidence ... the defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied," Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter wrote. Craig, a Republican, can appeal Porter's ruling. But it wasn't immediately clear if he would. Telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment from Craig spokesmen Sid Smith in Boise and Dan Whiting in Washington, D.C. weren't immediately returned. When the charges first surfaced, Craig said he would resign by Sept. 30. But then he decided to attempt to re-open his legal case, and said he would stay at least until he found out whether he could withdraw his plea to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. If Craig resigns, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a Republican, would appoint his successor. Otter has chosen a replacement for Craig, should he resign, but hasn't yet informed the person that he has chosen. "He is ready to act should we receive a letter of resignation," said Jon Hanian, Otter's spokesman in Boise. "As of this hour we still have not received one. I do not believe the replacement candidate has been notified because until we receive a letter of resignation we do not have a vacancy to fill." Porter rejected that as a good reason to withdraw the plea. Any pressure Craig was under "was entirely perceived by the defendant and was not a result of any action by the police, the prosecutor, or the court," he said. Minnesota law allows a plea to be withdrawn if a "manifest injustice" occurs, but leaves it to judges to define that. Porter ruled that none occurred in Craig's case. "It is not a manifest injustice to force the defendant to be bound by his plea bargain and the waivers and admissions which he made in conjunction with the execution of that bargain," Porter wrote. He also wrote that Craig hadn't produced any "newly discovered evidence" that would clear him. Roll Call reported Craig's arrest and guilty plea on Aug. 27. Fellow Republican senators soon called on Craig to resign, and conservative groups, which had given him near-perfect approval ratings, abandoned him quickly. Craig had been elected to Congress from Idaho in 1980 and was in his third term in the Senate. Within days Craig said he would resign by Sept. 30. He then changed his mind, saying he would stay in office until the legal case was finished. Prosecutor Christopher Renz had accused Craig of "politicking and game playing" with the legal system, and argued that Craig was urged to hire an attorney and had plenty of time to think about his plea. Patrick Hogan, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, said in a statement that the commission, which runs Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, was pleased with the decision. "The ruling continues to hold Senator Craig accountable for his conduct," Hogan said.

Sounds like the judge as a firm grasp of the law (as opposed to the lawmaker)

Yet another update:

It's Larry Craig "Bobblefoot" Day! - May 22, 2008

I can't wait to see them on eBay!

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Quote: Originally Posted by BuffaloChips What is illegal in asking for sex? I know guys that have walked right up to women in bars and said they would like to do them right to their face. Does that mean if it was a cop they could go to jail? This is ridiculous. If he tried to do the guy in the restroom, that would be illegal. I just can't see that waving your hand around and tapping your foot is illegal regardless of what someone else might interpret it to mean.

I'm late to the party, but that is sexual harassment.