The GOP, who tried to impeach Bill Clinton for having extramarital sex with a woman, is not standing by Idaho Senator Larry Craig for allegedly soliciting bathroom sex with a man:
www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/29/craig.arrest/index.html
an excerpt:
“…He has supported a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. In 1996, Craig also voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition to same-sex marriages and prevents states from being forced to recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples legally performed in other states.
Craig also has opposed expanding the federal hate crimes law to cover offenses motivated by anti-gay bias and, in 1996, voted against a bill that would have outlawed employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, which failed by a single vote in the Senate.
The police officer who arrested him June 11 said Craig peered through a crack in a restroom stall door for two minutes and made gestures suggesting to the officer he wanted to engage in “lewd conduct.”
Craig said the officer misinterpreted his actions.
Craig pleaded guilty August 8 to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge, according to Minnesota criminal records.
The senator said he “chose to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the hope of making it go away. I did not seek any counsel, either from an attorney, staff, friends or family. That was a mistake, and I deeply regret it.”…’
Hypocritical politicians such as Craig and Mark Foley, and pastors such as Ted Haggard, may unintentionally be doing more to advance the American understanding of homosexuality, and sympathy towards those living a closeted life than most of us realize.
UPDATE:
“…State party officials are standing by Craig in their public comments, but some privately say that the senator is ruined. One conservative leader, though, was unequivocal:
“I believe he should resign because I believe character is an extremely important qualification for public service,” said Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance. “And I believe the senator, by his own admission, has acknowledged that he has fallen short of the standard that we should expect from public servants.”
Uh, what happened to innocent until proven guilty?
FURTHER UPDATE:
‘…”We’re disappointed in what’s going on. It’s a matter for the senator and the Senate Republican leadership to address,” deputy White House press secretary Scott Stanzel said.
“We hope that it will be resolved quickly, as that would be in the best interests of the Senate and the people of Idaho,” Stanzel said…’
Is GOP and White House disappointment rooted in Craig’s hidden sexual preference, or his chose of venue in which to act on it?
BCB
