Senator Larry Craig to resign

US Republican Senator Larry Craig, caught in an undercover sting soliciting sex in an airport bathroom, will resign on Saturday, Republican Party officials told the Idaho Statesman newspaper.

After resigning Idaho Republican governor Butch Otter will name a replacement to complete Craig's term, which ends in January 2009. The seat's full six-year term will be open for contest in the November 2008 elections.

Why GOP's are forced into closets and bathrooms

It's time for Republicans to embrace their own gay wing and stop fueling the sickness of suppression that drives men like Larry Craig into airport bathroom stalls.

The demise of Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig amuses those of us who enjoy watching right-wing heroes crash to the ground, spiked on their own hypocrisy. It further confirms my theory: prick any conservative and the kink oozes out. The rockier the rib, the more likely you'll find pink lingerie under the trousers or a bullwhip and manacles in the bedside drawer. You can bet those Beltway dominatrices, madams and escorts (gay and straight) have been able to buy second homes -- maybe even in Sun Valley! -- with their haul during W's reign.

The sickness, of course, is in the suppression, which is why closeted men seek love in rank public bathroom stalls.

The trouble with this wedge issue, as everyone now knows, is that it's Republican suicide. The hateful public stance of the party has driven its many gay members into ever more contorted acts of self-loathing excess, driving the disease of suppression out in the open and subjecting men to public stoning by their own frenzied followers.

Foley, Haggard and Craig are only the most famous. There's Florida Rep. Bob Allen, also caught lurking for sex in a public bathroom, Corporal Matt Sanchez, gay porn star and -- for a shining moment -- Fox News channel's right wing Marine of the moment. And who can forget Jeff Gannon, the right-wing faux journalist with a secret life as a gay escort favored with a hard (yes!) White House press pass by the Bush administration communications department.

It's time for Republicans to embrace their own gay wing and stop fueling the sickness of suppression that drives men like Larry Craig into airport bathroom stalls. Until they do, they're headed straight for the toilet with him -- not that they shouldn't jump right in anyway.

http://www.alternet.org/story/61228/

Another republican sex scandal

Sen. Larry Craig, who in May told the Idaho Statesman he had never engaged in homosexual acts, was arrested less than a month later by an undercover police officer who said Craig made a sexual advance toward him in an airport men's room.

The arrest at a Minnesota airport prompted Craig to plead guilty to disorderly conduct earlier this month. His June 11 encounter with the officer was similar to an incident in a men's room in a Washington, D.C., rail station described by a Washington-area man to the Idaho Statesman. In that case, the man said he and Craig had sexual contact.

Craig on Monday denied any misconduct. "At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions," he said in a written statement. "I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct. I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously."

On Monday afternoon, Craig resigned from his role as the U.S. Senate co-chair of the Mitt Romney for president campaign. Monday night, the Romney campaign canceled a visit to Boise scheduled for today by Romney's son, Josh.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/143801.html

Police report of recent incident:

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2007/08/27/19/0828_local_arrest_final.source.prod_affiliate.36.pdf