- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Craig: 'I Am Not Gay'
Email
ShareAugust 28, 2007 4:53 PM
ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Senator Larry Craig, R-Idaho, made a public statement to cameras Tuesday to declare that he is not gay, regrets pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct this summer at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, intends to pursue the matter legally, and may yet seek reelection in 2008.
Here is the statement in full as posted on the Senator's website:
"First, please let me apologize to my family, friends, staff, and fellow Idahoans for the cloud placed over Idaho. I did nothing wrong at the Minneapolis airport. I regret my decision to plead guilty and the sadness that decision has brought to my wife, family, friends, staff, and fellow Idahoans. For that I apologize.
In June, I overreacted and made a poor decision. While I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct at the Minneapolis airport or anywhere else, I 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. Because of that, I have now retained counsel and I am asking my counsel to review this matter and to advise me on how to proceed.
For a moment, I want to put my state of mind into context on June 11. For 8 months leading up to June, my family and I had been relentlessly and viciously harassed by the Idaho Statesman. If you’ve seen today’s paper, you know why. Let me be clear: I am not gay and never have been.
Still, without a shred of truth or evidence to the contrary, the Statesman has engaged in this witch hunt. In pleading guilty, I overreacted in Minneapolis, because of the stress of the Idaho Statesman’s investigation and the rumors it has fueled around Idaho. Again, that overreaction was a mistake, and I apologize for my misjudgment. Furthermore, I should not have kept this arrest to myself, and should have told my family and friends about it. I wasn’t eager to share this failure, but I should have done so anyway.
I love my wife, family, friends, staff, and Idaho. I love serving Idaho in Congress. Over the years, I have accomplished a lot for Idaho, and I hope Idahoans will allow me to continue to do that. There are still goals I would like to accomplish, and I believe I can still be an effective leader for Idaho. Next month, I will announce, as planned, whether or not I will seek reelection.
As an elected official, I fully realize that my life is open for public criticism and scrutiny, and I take full responsibility for the mistake in judgment I made in attempting to handle this matter myself.
It is clear, though, that through my actions I have brought a cloud over Idaho. For that, I ask the people of Idaho for their forgiveness.
As I mentioned earlier, I have now retained counsel to examine this matter and I will make no further comment."
August 28, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (5)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
The guys needs to admit to himself and the world that he's gay. When he does that he'll stop tyring to have annonymous sex in public bathrooms and will lead a more healthy life.
Posted by: Jim In Seattle | Aug 28, 2007 5:04:26 PM
Leave it to Republicans to denounce and vote against gay marriage and then go looking for sex with random men in a public restroom. I don't see how the Republicans even have any credibility left!
Posted by: Kyle | Aug 28, 2007 7:10:31 PM
I believe this guy has dined with the devil and must pay for it, I'm pissed off the way people try talking themselves out of this kind of situation, why is the senator trying to make an about-turn? Osama bin Laden should be called in to discipline this guy!!!
Posted by: James | Aug 29, 2007 8:57:22 AM
Not all Replublicans are like that Senator. It takes a short sighted person to even think that. I do believe he is guilty. The only reason he is saying nothing happened is to save his credibility and his dignity whatever is left of course. He should own up to what he did and see things through like a man.
Posted by: Joe | Aug 30, 2007 1:08:16 PM
If he is innocent why did he plead guilty at Mineapolis?
Posted by: Joseph Adukattu | Aug 31, 2007 8:47:03 PM
Post a comment
