Senator Craig Refuses to Resign

Posted on October 4, 2007

Idaho Senator Larry "Wide Stance" Craig continues to infuriate the GOP leadership: he's announced that he's sticking out the rest of his Senate term and will not resign, even though he lost a court battle to rescind his guilty plea for lewd conduct in a men's airport restroom.

"I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively," Craig said in a written statement certain to disappoint fellow Republicans who have long urged him to step down. Craig had earlier announced he would resign his seat by Sept. 30, but had wavered when he went to court in hopes of withdrawing his plea. The third-term lawmaker issued his statement not long after Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter relayed word he has selected a replacement for Craig in the event of a resignation. "He is ready to act should we receive a letter of resignation," said Jon Hanian, Otter's spokesman in Boise, in what seemed like a calculated signal that home-state Republicans want Craig to surrender the seat he has held for 17 years.
In his statement, Craig said he will not run for a new term next year. But in the meantime, he said: "I will 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." The ethics committee has already signaled it is reviewing the facts of Craig's case, taking the step after the Senate Republican leadership requested it. Craig's decision to stay and fight raises the strong possibility of public hearings - virtually certain to be televised live - centered on the issue of gay sex.

Now we have the prospect of long, drawn-out ethics hearings centering on methods that gay men use to pick each other up in public restrooms. That's just what America needs right now. Because, really, what else is there to talk about?