Aug 30 2007
Get the Facts Straight
Ok. So we still have some ignorant people trying to post comments. Heads up! Once again, if you had taken the time to read the arrest report you would find that the Larry Craig was charged with a misdemeanor and a gross misdemeanor. Neither of those equal felony. So CRAIG IS NOT A FELON
Uh, Soot, the man plead out to disturbing the peace. Big deal. Chirs Dodd and Ted Kennedy could put that to shame with one of their watiress sandwich escapades. So, if this was Barney Frank, you would be saying that he had to resign, is that right?
What private crusade you idiot? I know Democrats rank and file who would think that gays are perverts. Are you really so brainwashed that you believe there is some plot to regulate your private behavior?
Terrye, I know you’re up against the wall here because you’ve provided some very flimsy arguments, but it’s misplaced to blame that on me and call me an idiot. I haven’t insulted you. If you can leave your own insults a the door, then perhaps we can focus on actual issues here and come to an understanding. HINT: That’s what people do who understand the issues and have well-constructed arguments.
First, I never said anything about a “private crusade.” Read it again carefully. I said the “republican crusade to legislate private behavior”. As an example, I point to gay marriage, a private decision between two consenting adults that has been legislated by republicans. I point to abstinence-only AIDS awareness education, a tactic proven to be a failure and yet adhered to by republicans so they can discourage Biblically-unsanctioned sex among consenting partners. There are other examples as well.
Well, if you feel that way then you should demand that these kinds of sting operations be brought to an end, after all whose business is it anyway?
You don’t understand. Shagging someone in the men’s room is not private behavior. It’s public behavior. Can you understand the difference? One is done, well, in private, whereas the other is done in public. What is done in public and legislated through law (such as having sex) is the public’s business. Welcome to Civics 101.
So you want me to condemn Craig’s behavior? Fine I condemn him for tapping his foot and waving his fingers. Bad boy.
Denial. It’s not just a river in Egypt, is it? Your determination not to look at the facts in this story clearly outlines the limits of your argument. Good luck with that.
And I am not a Republican, I am an Independent.
I guess I can’t blame you for wanting to distance yourself from the republicans. Similarly, after WW2 in Germany, apparently it was next to impossible to get someone to admit that they had supported the nazis. The trouble with your claim, of course, is that you continue to carry water for the republicans, through your strict adherence to a cover story honored only by Larry Craig. Once you can show some independence of thought, beyond just making the empty claim of being “an Independent,” you might one day appear to be an independent.
How does Aj attract these people? Are they all soothie? Can’t be that many of them.
If you don’t want your silly ideas subjected to scrutiny (and I can certainly see why you wouldn’t), then you shouldn’t post them on a blog on the internet. Otherwise, someone’s apt to come along and show you how absurd they are. The better bet for you is to share these ideas only among your fellow “true believers,” in an environment where no one can make fun of you or laugh.
No, I’m not Soothsayer, just another person with common sense. There are a bunch of us, actually, although I imagine they don’t frequent this blog.
Groping someone is not just a sueable offense. I believe it would be considered sexual assault if it is unwanted groping as it was in the case of Bill Clinton groping Kathleen Wiley.
Groping someone is not just a sueable offense.
Okay, let’s accept that.
Now, does the objectionable nature of Clinton’s actions somehow make Craig’s actions more acceptable?
Did Craig grope someone?
It’s been a while since I have had aa chance to post on AJ’s blog. This topis would not have been my first choice, nut some of the remarks made need some clarification.
1. There was no sexual, or even physical contact at all, not even his foot as someone erroneously stated.
“Craig tapped his toes several times and moved his foot closer to my foot.”
2. The Officer was not there as an undercover prostitute, he was there to catch lewd acts taking place in the restroom, not attempt to be involved in one.
“On 06/11/07, at about 1200 hours, I was working a plain-clothes detail involving lewd conduct in the main men’s public restroom of the Northstar Crossing in the Lindbergh Terminal. The Airport Police Department has received civilian complaints and has made numerous arrests regarding sexual activity in the public restroom.”
3. The Police Officer does not charge anyone with a crime, they can only suggest the charge, the District Attorney or the City Attorney decide the actual charges against a Defendant.
4. A Criminal charge that includes the word Lewd, is usually followed by lascivious which was not the case here. Craig did nothing that could be considered Lewd in this case because if he did, then so did the Officer.
“Craig tapped his toes several times and moved his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly.”
5. The Officer positioned himself in the row of stalls so that he would be close enough to the “action” to hear it and make an arrest for Lewd conduct or to get some guy to expose himself to him which would have been Lewd conduct, Craig did none of these which probably frustrated the Officer into arresting him.
6. The Officer did not want to make a scene, not for the benefit of Craig, but for his own so that he could go right back into the Restroom and try to catch someone who was really committing a Lewd Act.
7. Defense Attorney questioning of this Officer at trial might go something like this:
Defense Attorney: Officer , you stated in your report that the Defendant whom you described as an older white male with grey hair, was standing 3 feet away from your stall door when you observed him looking at you through the crack in the door, is that correct?
Officer: Yes
Defense Attorney: You then go on to state that you observed the Defendant look down at his hand and fidget with his fingers, is that correct?
Officer: Yes, and he would then look through the crack again, I saw his blue eyes.
Defense Attorney: You then say that 2 minutes had passed when the Defendant entered into the stall next to your once it became vacant and placed his roller bag against front of the stall door, is that correct?
Officer: Yes, to block the view from the front of the stall.
Defense Attorney: Officer, is it your claim that, in your experience, all of these observations just mentioned are signs of wanting to commit a Lewd Act?
Officer: Wel..
Defense Attorney: Yes or No please!!
Officer: Yes
Defense Attorney: Officer, you are familiar with that term fidget, are you not?
Officer: Yes
Defense Attorney: Is it not a common occurence to see an elderly person with grey hair fidget with their fingers?
Officer: Yes, but
Defense Attorney: And is it not common to see someone who has to go to the bathroom really bad to fidget while they wait for the stall to become available?
Officer: Yes, but
Defense Attorney: Officer, how much room would you say there was between where you were seated in that stall and the back of the stall door?
Officer: I don’t know, maybe less than a couple of feet.
Defense Attorney: And how much room would you say there was on either side from where you were seated.
Officer: Maybe half a foot.
Defense Attorney: Officer, is it not true that the all people who bring a roller bag into a stall would have to place it against the front of the stall?
Officer: Well they don’t have to..
Defense Attorney: Officer, have you ever seen a roller bag that was more than 6 inches wide be placed at the side of a restroom stall?
Officer: Well, no but..
Defense Attorney: Is that because it would be impossible?? and so on and so on and so on!!
SBD
If SBD (aka Perry Mason) is correct, then I guess Craig is just a freakin’ moron for not hiring defense counsel.
But he didn’t – too bad, so sad.