Larry Craig
Senior Senator from Idaho
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1991 Serving with Mike Crapo
Preceded by	Jim McClure
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Idaho's 1st district
In office January 5, 1981 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Steve Symms
Succeeded by	Larry LaRocco
Born	July 20, 1945 (1945-07-20) (age 62) Council, Idaho
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Suzanne Thompson
Profession	Rancher
Religion	Methodist[1]

Larry Edwin Craig (born July 20, 1945) is an American politician from the state of Idaho. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. James Albertus "Jim" McClure (born December 27, 1924 in Payette, Idaho) is an American politician from the state The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The Idaho First Congressional District encompasses the western and northern parts of this US State. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Steven Douglas Symms (born April 23 1938 in Nampa, Idaho) was a four-term congressman (1973–81 and two-term U Larry LaRocco (born August 25, 1946) is a Democratic Politician from the U Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Council is a city in Adams County, Idaho, United States. The population was 816 at the 2000 census. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Politics of the United States takes place in the framework of a presidential, Federal republic where the President of the United States (the Head of A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. As a Republican, he has represented the state of Idaho in the United States Senate since 1991. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. In addition, Craig served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district (1981–1991). The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The Idaho First Congressional District encompasses the western and northern parts of this US State. ^[2] Including his service in the House of Representatives, Craig is the second-longest serving member of the United States Congress in Idaho history, trailing only William Edgar Borah. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The History of Idaho is an examination of the Human History and social activity within the state of Idaho, a geographical area in the William Edgar Borah ( June 29, 1865 near Fairfield, Illinois &ndash January 19, 1940 Washington D In addition to serving in Congress, Craig has been a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association since 1983. The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a non-profit ( 501(c(4) group dedicated to the protection of the Second Amendment of the ^[3] Craig has also been selected for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame. ^[4] Although he was selected in March 2007, the announcement was made in October 2007. ^[5]

On August 27, 2007 the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call revealed that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct in the men's bathroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 11, 2007, and pled guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct on August 8, 2007. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Capitol Hill, aside from being a Metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential Neighborhood in Washington D Roll call is the calling of the names of people from a list ( Roll) to determine the presence or absence of the listed people (also known as a register in countries such as the In general use lascivious is synonymous with Lustful ' or lewd. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state Upper Midwestern region of Minnesota, Iowa, Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Almost every state in the United States has a disorderly conduct law that makes it a crime to be drunk in public to "disturb the peace" or to loiter in certain areas Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[6] As a result of the controversy surrounding his arrest and subsequent guilty plea, Senator Craig announced his intention to resign from the Senate at a news conference on September 1, 2007, which was to become effective on September 30, 2007. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. After failing to withdraw his guilty plea, on October 4, 2007, Craig released a statement refusing to resign as Senator for Idaho. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Craig is not a candidate for re-election in 2008. The 2008 United States Senate election for the state of Idaho will be held on November 4, 2008. ^[7] Main candidates to succeed him include Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch, the Republican nominee, and former Congressman Larry LaRocco, the Democratic nominee. James Elroy Risch (born May 3, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is the current Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, candidate for United Larry LaRocco (born August 25, 1946) is a Democratic Politician from the U The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party.

Early life and family

Craig was born in Council, Idaho, to Dorothy Lenore McCord and Elvin Oren Craig. Council is a city in Adams County, Idaho, United States. The population was 816 at the 2000 census. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. ^[8] He grew up on a ranch outside Midvale in Washington County. A ranch is an area of landscape including various structures given primarily to the practice of ranching the practice of raising grazing livestock such as Cattle Midvale is a city in Washington County, Idaho, United States. Washington County is a County located in the US state of Idaho. In 1969 he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Idaho. A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. At the University of Idaho he was student body president and a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. Delta Chi ( ΔΧ) (del-ta kai or D-Chi is an international secret letter college social Fraternity formed on October 13, 1890, at Cornell Fraternities and sororities (from the Latin words la frater and la soror, meaning "brother" and "sister" respectively are fraternal He pursued graduate studies at George Washington University before returning to his family's Midvale ranching business in 1971. The George Washington University ( GW or GWU) is a private coeducational university located in Washington D Craig was a member of the Idaho Army National Guard from 1970 to 1972, attaining the rank of Private First Class (E3)^[9], after which he received an honorable discharge. The Idaho National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines In many Armed forces in the world Private First Class is a rank held by junior enlisted persons ^[10]

Craig married Suzanne Thompson in 1983 and adopted the three children she had from a previous marriage. ^[11] Through his adopted children, Craig has nine grandchildren. ^[12]

Political career

Craig was elected to the Idaho Senate in 1974 and reelected in 1976 and 1978. The Idaho Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. ^[12]

In 1980, Craig was elected to an open seat in the U. S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district. He succeeded Republican Steve Symms, who left the House and was elected to the Senate after defeating Democrat Frank Church. Steven Douglas Symms (born April 23 1938 in Nampa, Idaho) was a four-term congressman (1973–81 and two-term U For his son Frank Forrester Church IV the Unitarian Universalist minister and theologian see Forrest Church. Craig was re-elected four times, serving until 1991. While in the House, he supported President Ronald Reagan's push to expand vocational education. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Vocational education or Vocational Education and Training (VET also called Career and Technical Education (CTE prepares learners for jobs that are based

Allegations of cocaine use and sex with male teenage congressional pages by unnamed congressmen were pursued by investigators and journalists in 1982. United States House of Representatives Page Program is a program run by the United States House of Representatives, under the office of the Clerk of the House in which appointed ^[13] Craig issued a statement denying involvement. ^[14] Craig stated "Persons who are unmarried as I am, by choice or by circumstance, have always been the subject of innuendos, gossip and false accusations. I think this is despicable. "^[10] Craig served on the House Ethics Committee. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives In 1989 Craig was reported to have led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Representative Barney Frank for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal. Barnett "Barney" Frank (born March 31, 1940) is an American Politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives ^[15][16]

U. S. Senate

Craig announced his candidacy for the 1990 Senate election for the seat vacated by the retiring James A. McClure. The 1990 United States Senate election was an election on Tuesday 1990-11-06 for the United States Senate in which the Democratic Party increased its James Albertus "Jim" McClure (born December 27, 1924 in Payette, Idaho) is an American politician from the state Craig defeated Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones in the Republican primary. Lawrence Wasden is the current Attorney General of the state of Idaho, United States, serving since 2003 Jim Jones (born May 13, 1942) is a Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court and a former Attorney General of Idaho A primary election ( nominating primary) also referred to simply as a primary, is an election in which voters in a Jurisdiction select candidates In the general election he defeated Democratic former Idaho Legislature member Ron J. Twilegar with 57 percent of the vote. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Idaho Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Idaho. Ron J Twilegar is an Attorney from Boise, Idaho. Twilegar was the 1990 Democratic nominee for the open United States Senate

In 1995, Craig formed a barbershop quartet called The Singing Senators with Senators Trent Lott, John Ashcroft, and James Jeffords. Barbershop Vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1940s-present is a style of A cappella, or unaccompanied Vocal music characterized The Singing Senators were a group of US Republican Senators who sang as a barbershop quartet Chester Trent Lott Sr (born October 9, 1941) is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party John David Ashcroft (born May 9 1942) is an American Politician who was the 79th United States Attorney General. James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords (born May 11, 1934) is a former U ^[17]

Craig was reelected in 1996, again with 57 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Walt Minnick. The US Senate election 1996 was an election for United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of Bill Clinton as president Walter C 'Walt' Minnick (born September 20, 1942 in Walla Walla, Washington) is a businessman and Democratic politician from He was reelected again in the 2002 election with 65 percent of the vote, when he spent $3. The 2002 United States Senate election featured a series of fiercely-contested elections that resulted in a victory for the Republican Party, which gained two seats and 2 million to defeat Alan Blinken. For Blynken see Wynken Blynken and Nod. Alan John Blinken (born 1937 was the 2002 Democratic nominee for United States Senate in

In 1999, Craig became sharply critical of U. S. President Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The Lewinsky scandal was a political Sex scandal emerging from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a then Speaking on NBC's Meet The Press, Craig told Tim Russert: "The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy - a naughty boy. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. Timothy John Russert II (May 7 1950 &ndash June 13 2008 was an American television Journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving I’m going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy. ”

Craig served as Senate Republican Policy Committee chairman from 1997 until 2003. Since 1947 the Republican members of the United States Senate have elected a policy committee chairman who is the fourth-ranking Republican behind the Republican ^[2] During this time, he exposed Clinton Administration support for Iranian arms shipments to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United States Presidency of Bill Clinton, also known as the Clinton Administration, was the executive branch of the Federal For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan ^[18] He then became chairman of the Special Committee on Aging. The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee it became a permanent committee in 1977. After the Democrats gained control of the Senate in the 2006 Congressional election, Craig became the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7[[ 006]] with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested In United States politics, the ranking member or ranking minority member is a member of a congressional committee from the minority party frequently the The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs is responsible for dealing with oversight of United States Veterans issues The US Senate Committee on Appropriations is a Standing committee of the United States Senate. The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy territorial policy native Hawaiian He served as the ranking member of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Amid the controversy surrounding his arrest and guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct, Craig temporarily stepped aside as ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee and two subcommittees in August 2007. For the Pygmy backswimmer Genus, see Plea (insect. The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs is responsible for dealing with oversight of United States Veterans issues August 2007 is the eighth month of that year It began on a Wednesday and 31 days later ended on a Friday. ^[19]

Craig is a long-time, leading advocate for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Balanced Budget Amendment is any one of various proposed amendments to the United States Constitution which would require a balance in the projected Revenues The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[20]

In May 2003, Craig put a hold on more than 200 Air Force promotions in an attempt to pressure the Air Force to station four new C-130 cargo planes in Idaho, claiming he received a commitment from the Air Force almost seven years earlier that the planes would be delivered. May 2003: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - A secret hold is a Parliamentary procedure within the Standing Rules of the Senate within the United States Senate that allows one or more Senators to prevent A promotion is the advancement of rank or Position in an organizational Hierarchy system WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A cargo aircraft (also known as freighters or freight aircraft) is an Fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods rather Defense Department officials said the reason the C-130s had not been sent to Idaho was that no new aircraft were being manufactured for the type of transport mission done by the Idaho Air National Guard unit where Craig wanted the planes delivered. The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government The Idaho Air National Guard is composed of 3000 Airmen and officers assigned to two flying wings and six geographically separated units (GSUs throughout Idaho. ^[21]

Craig supports the guest worker program proposed by President George W. Bush. The Guest worker program is a program that has been proposed many times in the past and now also by U George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. In April 2005, Craig tried to amend an Iraq War supplemental bill with an AgJOBS amendment that would have granted legal status to between 500,000 and one million illegal immigrants in farm work. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign Illegal immigration to the United States refers to the act of foreign nationals voluntarily resettling in the United States in violation of U The amendment failed with 53 votes (60 votes were needed because the amendment was not germane to the underlying bill). ^[22] A version of the AgJOBS bill legislation was included in the Senate-passed immigration reform bill in 2006. Craig, the principal sponsor of AgJOBS, continues to support amnesty for illegal immigrants who are "trusted workers with a significant work history in American agriculture. Amnesty (from the Greek amnestia, oblivion is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to "^[23] This position has been sharply criticized by anti-immigration activists. ^[24] On June 26, 2007, Craig reiterated his support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or in its full name the Secure Borders Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 ( was a bill discussed in

In October 2005, Craig suggested that flooded sections of New Orleans should be abandoned after Hurricane Katrina had hit and was quoted in a local newspaper as saying that "Fraud is in the culture of Iraqis. PortalCurrent events News collections and sources See WikipediaNews collections and sources. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual Iraq has one of the world's oldest cultural histories Iraq is where the Mesopotamian civilization began which went on to influence the European and I believe that is true in the state of Louisiana as well. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America "^[25]

On December 16, 2005, Craig voted against a cloture motion filed relative to the USA PATRIOT Act; the motion ultimately earned only 52 votes, and so a Democratic filibuster against extension of the act (due to expire at the end of 2005) was permitted to continue. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In Parliamentary procedure, cloture (ˈkloʊtʃɝ KLO-cher (also called closure, and sometimes a guillotine) is a motion or process aimed at The USA PATRIOT Act, commonly known as the Patriot Act, is a controversial Act of Congress that U A filibuster, or "talking out a bill", is a form of obstruction in a Legislature or other decision-making body ^[26] On December 21, 2005, Craig backed a six-month extension of the Act while further negotiations took place. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[27] On February 9, 2006, Craig announced an agreement among himself, the White House, and fellow Senators John E. Sununu, Arlen Specter, Lisa Murkowski, Chuck Hagel, and Richard Durbin to reauthorize the Act. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence John Edward Sununu (born September 10, 1964) is a Republican United States Senator from New Hampshire. Arlen Specter (born February 12 1930) is the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party Lisa Ann Murkowski (born May 22, 1957) is an American politician of the Republican party and the junior United States Senator from Charles Timothy " Chuck " Hagel (born October 4, 1946) is the senior United States Senator from Nebraska. ^[28]

In 2006, Craig posted to his Senate website^[29] all the earmarks he had inserted into federal spending bills since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee in 1998.

The American Conservative Union rated Craig's 2005 voting record at 96 out of 100 points, while the Americans for Democratic Action rated him at 15 points. The American Conservative Union ( ACU) is an American political organization advocating conservative policies. Americans for Democratic Action ( ADA) is an American political organization advocating liberal policies. Craig supported the Federal Marriage Amendment, which barred extension of rights to same-sex couples; he voted for cloture on the amendment in both 2004 and 2006. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA (also referred to by proponents as the Marriage Protection Amendment) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution However, in late 2006 he appeared to endorse the right of individual states to create same-sex civil unions, but said he would vote "yes" on an Idaho constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages when pressured to clarify his position by the anti-gay rights group Families for a Better Idaho. A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to Marriage. Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian ^[30] Craig voted against cloture in 2002, which would have extended the federal definition of hate crimes to cover sexual orientation. Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain Social group, usually defined Sexual orientation is believed to refer to "an enduring pattern of emotional romantic and/or sexual attractions to men women or both sexes ^[31] This legislation was passed in 2007 in both the House and the Senate as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. The Matthew Shepard Act (officially the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 or LLEHCPA was a proposed federal bill that would expand the 1969 United Craig voted against the measure^[32]. The LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign issued guides to candidates' voting records in 2004. Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian The Human Rights Campaign group gave him a 0 rating. ^[33]

Prior to the nomination of Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Craig was mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed Gale Norton as United States Secretary of the Interior in March 2006. Governors The region that became Idaho was originally obtained by the United States as part of Oregon Country, shared with the United Kingdom from 1818 to 1846 Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951 in San Diego, California) is the current U Gale Ann Norton (born March 11, 1954) served as the 48th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2001 to 2006 under President The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. Stories without links will be removed. News stories must be in English ^[34]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, and Children's Health Protection
  • Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Special Committee on Aging

Idaho Hall of Fame induction

In 2007, Idaho Hall of Fame Association inducted Larry Craig into the Idaho Hall of Fame, despite his well-publicized arrest and guilty plea in an airport sex sting, following the failure to appeal. In Law, an appeal is a process for requesting a formal change to an official decision He had been picked in March 2007, months before the arrest. ^[35]

2007 arrest and consequences

On June 11, 2007, Craig was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on suspicion of lewd conduct. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state Upper Midwestern region of Minnesota, Iowa, ^[36] The nature of the alleged activity has been categorized by some as cottaging. Cottaging is a British Gay slang term referring to anonymous male-male sex in a public Lavatory (a cottage or tea-room) or to the ^[37] According to the police report, the police officer sat in a bathroom stall as part of an undercover operation investigating complaints of sexual activity in the restroom. After about 13 minutes of sitting in the stall, the police officer observed Craig lingering outside and frequently peeking through the crack of the door on the stall. Craig then entered the stall to the left of the officer's stall. The police officer made the following observations, which he recorded in his report of the incident, as to what happened next:

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. . . . 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. Craig then proceeded to swipe his left hand under the stall divider several times, with the palm of his hand facing upward. ^[36]

According to the incident report and criminal complaint filed in court,^[38][39][40] the officer showed Craig his police identification beneath the partition separating their stalls, and the officer then pointed his finger towards the restroom exit. Craig initially said no, but he ultimately complied with the officer's request to leave the restroom. After Craig and the officer left the restroom, Craig was reluctant to go with the officer and demanded the officer show his police identification a second time. Once the officer complied with the request, Craig, the arresting officer, and a police detective, who was stationed outside of the restroom, went to the airport police station. ^[36]

After the arresting officer read Craig his Miranda rights, the officer interviewed Craig about the restroom incident. In the United States, the Miranda warning is a Warning given by Police to criminal Suspects in police custody or in a custodial situation before At one point, Craig handed his business card to the arresting officer, which identified him as a U. S. Senator, and said to him, "What do you think about that?"^[36] Craig told the officer that he was worried about missing his flight, and the arresting officer asked the police detective to call the airline to hold the flight. The detective reported that no one answered the telephone for the airline, and the arresting officer proceeded with the interview.

According to the arrest report prepared by Sgt. Dave Karsnia, "Craig stated . . . He has a wide stance when going to the bathroom and that his foot may have touched mine. "^[39] Craig never used the term "wide stance" himself. According to the transcript of the police interogation, Sgt. Karsnia asked: "Did you do anything with your feet?" and Craig replied: "Positioned them, I don't know. I don’t know at the time. I'm a fairly wide guy. "^[36]

When the officer asked Craig about the use of his hands, Craig said that he reached down with his right hand to pick up a piece of paper that was on the floor. The officer disputed Craig's version by saying, "there was not a piece of paper on the bathroom floor, nor did Craig pick up a piece of paper. " Craig also disputed the officer's assertion about the position of his hand, claiming that his right palm was faced down as he picked up the paper from the floor. The officer disputed Craig's version, alleging that Craig used his left hand because his thumb, "was positioned in a faceward motion. " During the interview and in the incident report, the officer commented that Craig either disagreed with what happened in the restroom or could not recall the events as they happened. ^[36]

Craig returned to the airport on June 22 to complain about how he had been treated by the police. According to the police report about Craig's return, Craig said he wanted information for his lawyer. ^[41]

Craig pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct by signing and mailing a plea petition, dated August 1, 2007, to the District Court in Hennepin County, Minnesota. A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems is a "lesser" criminal act Almost every state in the United States has a disorderly conduct law that makes it a crime to be drunk in public to "disturb the peace" or to loiter in certain areas Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. District courts are a category of Courts which exists in several nations Hennepin County is the most populous County in the US state of Minnesota. ^[42][43] He paid $575, including fines and fees. FINE was created in 1998 and is an informal association of the four main Fair Trade networks F Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International Senator Craig signed the petition to enter his guilty plea, which contained the provisions, "I understand that the court will not accept a plea of guilty from anyone who claims to be innocent. . . I now make no claim that I am innocent of the charge to which I am entering a plea of guilty. " Craig mailed his signed petition to the court, and his petition to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge was accepted and filed by the court on August 8, 2007. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[42]

Allegations about prior conduct become public

On August 27, 2007 Roll Call broke the story to reveal details about Craig's arrest at the Minneapolis-St. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Roll call is the calling of the names of people from a list ( Roll) to determine the presence or absence of the listed people (also known as a register in countries such as the Paul Airport and his subsequent guilty plea in that case. ^[44] After the conviction came to light, the Idaho Statesman published a story on August 28, 2007 about three allegations involving Craig's sexual conduct. The Idaho Statesman is a US daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A college student, who was considering pledging at Craig's fraternity at the University of Idaho in 1967, told a reporter for the Idaho Statesman that Craig led the student to his bedroom and, "made what the man said he took to be an invitation to sex. Fraternities and sororities (from the Latin words la frater and la soror, meaning "brother" and "sister" respectively are fraternal "^[10] In the second reported incident, a man, who identified himself as gay, told a reporter that Craig cruised him at the R.E.I. store in Boise in November 1994, following him around the store for half an hour. In the English language, gay is an Adjective that in modern usage refers to Homosexuality. Cruising for sex, or cruising is the act of walking or driving about a locality in search of a sex partner usually of the anonymous, casual, one-time Boise (ˈbɔɪsi is the capital and most populous city of the U Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) ^[10] The last reported incident to the Idaho Statesman about Craig's conduct came from a 40-year-old man with close ties to Republican officials. According to the man's story about the encounter with Craig, the man, "reported having oral sex with Craig at Washington's Union Station, probably in 2004. Oral sex refers to sexual activities involving the use of the Mouth, and may include use of the Tongue, Teeth, and Throat, in order Union Station is the grand ceremonial Train station designed to be the entrance to Washington D "^[10] A reporter for the Idaho Statesman interviewed Craig on May 14, 2007 regarding the allegations about his conduct, and in response to the reporter's questions, Craig said, "I'm not gay, and I don't cruise, and I don't hit on men. Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [. . . ] I don't go around anywhere hitting on men, and by God, if I did, I wouldn't do it in Boise, Idaho! Jiminy!"^[10]

Responses to the arrest

Craig told the public that the officer misconstrued his actions, that he was not involved in any inappropriate conduct, and had failed to seek legal counsel: "In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously. "^[45] In an August 28, 2007 press conference^[46] in Boise, Idaho, Craig said:

I am not gay. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. I never have been gay. . . . In June, I overreacted and made a poor decision. I chose to plead guilty to a lesser charge in hopes of making it go away. . . . Please let me apologize to my family, friends and staff and fellow Idahoans for the cloud placed over Idaho. I did nothing wrong at the Minneapolis airport. I did nothing wrong, and I regret the decision to plead guilty and the sadness that decision has brought on my wife, on my family, friends, staff and fellow Idahoans.

Craig claimed that his state of mind was troubled at the time of the guilty plea because he and his family "[had] been relentlessly and viciously harassed" by the Idaho Statesman in the course of its investigation into allegations of Craig's homosexuality and its August 28 article. On August 30, the Statesman called for Craig's resignation. ^[47] In response to questions about the arrest, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police Department released an audiotape of Craig's interview with Sergeant Dave Karsnia, the arresting officer. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world In that interview, Craig denied wrongdoing and claimed that he was a victim of entrapment. Entrapment is the act of a law enforcement agent in inducing a person to commit an offence which the person would not have or was unlikely to have otherwise committed ^[48][49]

Craig was one of two Senate liaisons for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, but removed himself from that campaign role after the conviction became public. Mitt Romney was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election. ^[50] Romney said of Craig, "He's disappointed the American people. "^[51] Craig later expressed bitterness about Romney's handling of the incident, saying in an interview with Matt Lauer, "And [Romney] not only threw me under his campaign bus, he backed up and ran over me again. Matthew Todd Lauer ( December 30, 1957) is an American television personality best known as the host of NBC 's The Today Show To throw (someone under the bus is an Idiomatic phrase meaning to scapegoat or reject "^[52]

A Washington watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee requesting an investigation into whether Craig violated Senate Rules of Conduct. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ( CREW) is a watchdog group founded in 2003 The US Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics ^[51] Members of the Republican Party in Congress began calling for Craig to resign, including Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-MI),^[53] Senator John McCain (R-AZ),^[54] and Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN). Peter "Pete" Hoekstra (born October 30 1953 is an American politician from the U Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Norman Bertram "Norm" Coleman Jr (born August 17, 1949) is an American politician who has served as a U Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers ^[53] Coleman and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that they will donate campaign contributions received from Craig's political action committee to charity. Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7 1952, in Caribou Maine) is the junior U The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean In the US, a Political Action Committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group regardless of size organized to elect political candidates ^[55]

Senate GOP leaders including Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Trent Lott (R-MS) asked Craig to "temporarily step down as the top Republican on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell Jr (born February 20 1942 is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Chester Trent Lott Sr (born October 9, 1941) is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs is responsible for dealing with oversight of United States Veterans issues The US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior Environment and Related Agencies is one of twelve subcommittees of the U Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests is one of four subcommittees of the U " Craig subsequently agreed to step down from those posts as the ranking Minority member. ^[56] Patrick Sammon, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, issued a statement condemning the senator's actions. The Log Cabin Republicans ( LCR) is a federated gay and lesbian political organization in the United States with state chapters and a national office in ^[57]

Resignation announcement and motion to withdraw plea

At a news conference on September 1, 2007, Craig announced his intent to resign, "with sadness and deep regret", effective September 30, 2007. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. On September 4, 2007, a spokesperson for Craig indicated that he was reconsidering his decision to resign,^[58] if his conviction was rapidly overturned and his committee assignments were restored. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[59]

On September 10, 2007, Craig's attorneys filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea arguing that it "was not knowing and intelligent and therefore was in violation of his constitutional rights. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A legal motion is a procedural device in Law to bring a limited contested matter before a Court for decision "^[60] His lawyers further argued that Craig "felt compelled to grasp the lifeline," hoping that if he were to submit to an interview and plead guilty that none of the allegations would be made public. The motion argues that Craig entered the plea under stress caused by media inquiries into his sexuality. Sexual orientation is believed to refer to "an enduring pattern of emotional romantic and/or sexual attractions to men women or both sexes ^[61] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed an amicus curiae brief stating that the secret sting operation used by the police was not "carefully crafted" to avoid ensnaring innocent speech and that "the defendant should be permitted to withdraw his plea, and, should the state recharge him, to contest the constitutional validity of any prosecution. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses Amicus curiae or amicus curiæ (plural amici curiae) is a Legal Latin phrase literally translated as "friend of the court" A brief (Latin " brevis " short or factum (Latin for "act" or "deed" is a written legal document used in various legal In law enforcement a sting operation is a Deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime " ^[62][63]

Craig's motion hearing to withdraw his guilty plea was held on September 26, 2007 before Judge Charles A. In law a hearing is a Proceeding before a Court or other decision-making body or officer Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Porter, Jr. ^[64][65] Craig’s Washington D. C. attorney, William Martin argued Craig’s actions couldn't be considered disorderly conduct because "you should have either touching, or words, or a combination of the two. William R "Billy" Martin is an attorney with the Washington D " The other main argument was made by Craig’s Minneapolis attorney, Thomas Kelly, who argued that the mail-in petition used by Craig was "defective" because it lacked a judge’s signature. ^[66] On September 26, 2007, Craig released a statement that he would remain in office until the Hennepin County District Court judge has ruled on his motion to withdraw his guilty plea. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[67]

On October 4, 2007, Porter denied Craig's motion to withdraw his guilty plea, ruling that Craig's plea was accurate, voluntary, and intelligent, and that evidence supported the conviction. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Evidence in its broadest sense includes anything that is used to determine or demonstrate the Truth of an assertion ^[68] As part of Craig's appeal of this ruling, the ACLU filed a brief that cites a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling from 38 years ago finding that those engaging in sexual encounters in closed stalls in otherwise public restrooms "have a reasonable expectation of privacy" which finding the ACLU believes would contradict the state's claim that Craig was inviting the undercover officer to have sex in "public. "^[69]

After Porter's ruling, Craig announced that he would serve out his Senate term, despite his pledge to the contrary, to "continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee — something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate. "^[70] Advisors say that Craig will not seek reelection at the end of his current term. ^[71] Craig announced his intention to appeal the court's decision on October 15, 2007^[72] and filed the appeal on January 8, 2008, arguing that his alleged conduct failed to violate the terms of Minnesota's disorderly conduct law. Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[73]

If Craig does eventually resign before his current terms ends, Republican Idaho Gov. Butch Otter will appoint an interim senator to serve until the 2008 election. Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter (born May 3, 1942, Caldwell Idaho) has been Governor of Idaho since January 2007 Elections for the United States Senate will be held on November 4 2008 with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested ^[74] Lt. Gov. Jim Risch has been named by some sources as the person Otter would appoint. Lieutenant Governor of Idaho is a constitutional statewide elected office in the State of Idaho. James Elroy Risch (born May 3, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is the current Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, candidate for United ^[75]

Gay men allege sexual contact with Craig

In December 2007, eight gay men came forward to the Idaho Statesman newspaper alleging either sexual encounters with Craig, or attempts by Craig to engage in sexual encounters. The Idaho Statesman is a US daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area ^[76][77] Four of the men gave graphic, recorded details of their alleged sexual encounters to the newspaper, which in turn published them on their web site. ^[76] One of the four was Mike Jones, the male escort who in November 2006 was involved in a sex and methamphetamine scandal with Ted Haggard. Michael F “Mike” Jones (born 7 May 1957, in Colorado) is an author Personal trainer and a former escort and Masseur Ted Arthur Haggard ( June 27, 1956) is a former American evangelical Preacher. Jones claims that Craig paid him $200 for a massage and oral sex. A Craig spokesman responded, "Mike Jones is lying in order to sell his book [about Ted Haggard] - plain and simple. Larry has never met Mike Jones. "^[76]

February 2008 Senate Ethics Committee letter

On February 13, 2008, the Senate Ethics Committee sent a letter of admonition to Craig stating that his "improper conduct" had reflected "discreditably" on the United States Senate. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[78][79] The Committee believed that Craig had indeed committed the actions to which he had pleaded guilty,^[79] and that Craig's efforts to withdraw his guilty plea were intended to evade the ramifications of his actions. ^[78] The Committee reported that Craig had spent $213,000 of campaign funds on legal fees and public relations fees on the case, which it felt showed Craig's disregard of ethics. ^[78] Campaign funds may only pay legal bills when they are related to the Senator's official duties. ^[80]

References

External links

• United States Senator Larry Craig, Senate site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Article about the Larry Craig scandal on Time. The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a Biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D The Federal Election Commission (or FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP is a nonpartisan research group based in Washington D Project Vote Smart ( PVS) is a Non-profit, Non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in com
• New York Times — Larry E. Craig News collected news and commentary
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Larry Craig profile
• Idaho Statesman study of Craig
• The Smoking Gun — Minnesota v. Larry Edwin Craig, Case No. 07043231, Police interview (audio and transcript), police report, criminal complaint and plea agreement
• State of Minnesota v. Larry Edwin Craig, Case No. 070403231, U. S. District Court (4th Dist. , Hennepin County, MN) (Adobe Acrobat Reader required for viewing all documents)