Sen. Craig's Family Speaks Out

Idaho Senator's Adult Children Believe Their Father's Version Of Minneapolis Airport Incident

(AP)  Two of Sen. Larry Craig's children said Tuesday they questioned him explicitly about "what exactly happened in that bathroom" where he was arrested in a sex sting and believe his assertions that he isn't gay.

Michael Craig said they asked their father about the June 11 incident at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, which led to the Idaho Republican's resignation last week after it became public, because "we were shocked" at media accounts of the incident, he said.

Craig, 62, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct following his arrest. The arresting officer said in his report that the restroom where he encountered Craig is a known location for homosexual activity.

In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Michael Craig said his father was simply "a victim of circumstance" and "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"We've known him our whole life. He has been so trustworthy to us, so honest to us, that we believe him," Michael Craig said.

Larry Craig adopted Michael and his two siblings after marrying their mother, the former Suzanne Scott, in 1983. Craig has worked in the Senate to promote adoption.

Among the questions he and his sister Shae Howell said they asked their father was "what exactly happened in that bathroom," and they tried to "break down definitions of what words mean," including semantic definitions of sex, Michael Craig said.

"Maybe it wasn't sexual intercourse, but were these sexual actions? Were there sexual feelings? All these terrible things that were said in the media, we asked all those tough questions," Michael Craig said. "I don't want to have an answer based on a legality or technicality or semantics of the words. We wanted to know exactly what happened and after speaking to our dad, we know exactly what happened."

He said that it would make no difference to them if their father was gay, though they "absolutely" believed Craig's assertion that he wasn't. "It would matter to my mom, but gay or straight, that part doesn't matter," Michael Craig said. "It was a matter of an accusation of a lewd, immoral, illegal act."

He said that by pleading guilty, his father "was just trying to resolve a little problem and he thought it was probably something resulting in something fairly minor. I think he knows he screwed up."

Standing next to their father in Boise on Saturday when he announced his resignation was "tough," Michael Craig said, but "we are family and we stay together through good times and bad." Another sibling, Jay Craig, was said to be out of the country and not available.

The family is angry that so many of their father's colleagues on Capitol Hill had failed to support him in the scandal.

They "made their decision and formed their opinion about it without even talking to my dad," said Shae Howell. "So that was a little frustrating and disappointing too."

This issue points to what is prevalent much of the time regarding fiction vs facts that the media becomes involved with. Without any clarifications of facts or investigation as to the reality of the charges, the MEDIA BECAME PROSECUTOR, JURY, AND JUDGE --not within in days but minutes of the news being realized through the newspaper recognition.

THE TRANSCRIPT:: [1] The officer said he saw the ring on Craig%u2019s finger, but in order for that to occur Craig would have had to completely turn right-sideways to put his LEFT hand under the RIGHT panel - not likely. [2] The officer saw the BLUE in Craig%u2019s eyes when Craig was PEEKING into the stall %u2014the officer wold have had to been standing against the door PEEKING out for that to happen - unless he had a telescope.

ODD: The officer said in his report that when Craig entered the restroom ALL STALLS WERE OCCUPIED. But co-incidently - or otherwise- the first stall to vacate was the STALL TO THE LEFT OF THE OFFICER. But, when the questioning ceased ALL STALLS WERE EMPTY. Unless every stall taker had the same relief valve - this EMPTY ALL STALLS would be highly improbable.

william j clemons
[e-mail]







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[toldyouso21]

Technically he would be bi-sexual, not just gay.

Posted by boatdocster at 05:05 PM : Sep 04, 2007

Nope, technically, a homosexual that prefers *** with other men is a homosexual. Not a bisexual. A bisexual likes *** with both sexes--but you have no proof Craig engaged in or liked *** with his wife. The children are not his, you don''t know if the two had sexxx or slept in separate rooms and she wrote his no interest off to a low libido.

So technically, we have a man who seeks sexxxxx with other men in bathrooms and other venues and used a woman and a marriage as a cover to hide that proclivity. Happens all the time, gay denotes a lifestyle--so maybe Craig is a closet gay. But having sexxxx with another man denotes a homosexual--Craig appears to be that. But since he may have been seeking out other men for *** for years while trying to appear hetero and bashing *** for the sake of votes--either way...it makes him a hypocrite.

Face it GOP--either learn more tolerance for *** or lose most of your Congressmen, when you learn they like themselves as well as the rest of the country to take it up the azz.

[toldyouso21]

Our conclusion was there was no wrongdoing there," Jay Craig said. "He was a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time when this sting operation was going on."

LOL. Talk about denial and apologists. Hey adopted kids: Don''t forget the following addendum: He was a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time , DOING THE WRONG THINGS when this sting operation was going on."

YEP, SHOULD HAVE PICKED A DIFFERENT DAY TO OGLE OTHER MEN IN A STALL--WIDE LEG, FOOT MASSAGE HIS BATHROOM NEIGHBOR AND THEN GO HAND SURFING ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF ANOTHER MAN''S STALL. EASY MISTAKE--PROBABLY ONE ALL OTHER NORMAL MEN MAKE. (DESPERATE GAY MEN THAT IS)

[sigotratando]

Michael Craig says: "I don''t want to have an answer based on a legality or technicality or semantics of the words." Um, you''re using semantics to tell us you don''t want to answer with semantics (the meaning of words)? I hate to break this to you, but either we agree that a particular uttered sound has meaning (thereby agreeing it is a word), or it''s just noise. That''s almost as bad as Howard Dean starting off a sentence with "It is my opinion" and finishing the same sentence with "it factual".

[realpatriot1]

I don''t think KrissyD was saying that 2 wrongs make a right. It was 40 years ago but, having lived in Massachusetts for 20 years, I have no doubt that the Kennedys clout couldn''t get it glossed over again.

That''s not meant to justify Craig''s hypocracy in any way, just an observation. The same could be said for the Bush family travails from Neil and the S & L mess, to Jeb''s cokehead daughter, to George''s drunken twins.

Being a Presidential family has some obnoxious perks.

[cozzicon]

After trying to be reasonable for so many years, I greet these hypocritical dustups with glee.

You folks do realize that this political putz has his poor family defending his sexuality. What a sad thing to do to your kids no matter what their age.

And what a sad setup. If he is a gayy man, and wants to come out in the future he''s going to embarass his family. Any decent man would have kept his family out of it.

And lastly, how sad it is that a man admits he''s gayy and has to leave office. THIS guy gets caught in a bathroom stall feeling up the partition and he gets to retain his power?

Oh the hypocrisies. I don''t watch comedy anymore- I go directly to the politicians for my laughs.

[oleander8]

To: donnie900

There is no "presumption of innocence" after a man pleads guilty.

The public is coming down hard on this case because the man used his position of power to debase and legislate against the gay and lesbian community. That''s hardly playing "fair".

[oleander8]

"I remember a married congressman in the 60''''s who was involved in an affair with a young woman, was responsible for her drowning resulting from a car accident. All he received was a slap on the wrist by law enforcement and then was embraced by his party and reelected. Oh yes...he''''s still in Congress."[Posted by krissyd7]

That was 50 years ago...I''m sure Mr Kennedy wouldn''t be able to get away with that today. In any case, (in my best school-girl voice)- two wrongs don''t make a right.

[krissyd7]

Senator Craig was entrapped by the police and betrayed by his Republican Party constituents.
That''s really sad!!

I remember a married congressman in the 60''s who was involved in an affair with a young woman, was responsible for her drowning resulting from a car accident. All he received was a slap on the wrist by law enforcement and then was embraced by his party and reelected. Oh yes...he''s still in Congress.

Makes you wonder!

[gkc99]

They say, MSNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, "presumption of innocence". Can you talk about issues like these? Presuming innocence?
Posted by donnie900

The presumption of innocence goes bye-bye when ya plead guilty.

And how did he manage to avoid appearing in court? Typically, if it''s more than a speeding tik, you gotta appear.

Looks like the circlejerker got off light.

[walt1944-2009]

HIS KIDS BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE SAYS "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!"!!!

"I''M A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE, YUK, YUK, YUK!" - Curly Howard of the 3 Stooges!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[donnie900]

They say, MSNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, "presumption of innocence". Can you talk about issues like these? Presuming innocence?

[donnie900]

In fact, I think they''re even charging Nancy Grace with some sort of crime because of that lady that killed herself when, after she lost her baby, Nancy Grace blamed her for something she might have did wrong.

I think that stigma, and the whole homosexual debate, be you homosexual or not, is a thing that shouldn''t be scrutinized in this way. People shouldn''t be illustrated .. or made an example of. Whats separate here is justice and media focus. Media focus too often assuming the role of justice administrator. Driving people crazy with guilt. Even before their trials.

[donnie900]

Maybe justice should be like a confessional. You know? Private? If you get arrested for something? And the word gets out to the media? There should be a consequence. I mean, a man is not on trial with everybody. Is he?

[karen091866]

Publicity seeking knows no limits-

I totally LOVE Michael Craig''s comments, saying that it wouldn''t matter to him or his siblings if Senator Craig were gay..but that "it would matter to their mom". Really!? You don''t say!

The thought of what she''s gone through makes me shivver with disgust.

[donnie900]

*chewing on me beef jerky*

[donnie900]

Well, the democrats wouldn''ta said noth''n. At least the republicans are watching teevee..

[gkc99]

"The family is angry that so many of their father''s colleagues on Capitol Hill had failed to support him in the scandal.
They "made their decision and formed their opinion about it without even talking to my dad," said Shae Howell. "So that was a little frustrating and disappointing too." "


That''s how Repugniscums are, a pack of yellow dogs ever ready to rip someone up when they can no longer be used.

Too bad so many of you Idaho morons keep on voting for the Repugniscum party. Serves ya right!

[pepperp1]

There ya go Larry is telling the GOP corrupt thugs to stuff it.......how is his toilet escapade different then lying America into war, LOL lordy%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026what a bunch.

[speakinup]

Hah! Ha HA HA HA - oh - ple -please stop... :]

This is good ! micma calling someone nutty. Ha HA HA Ha...

Oh, my tummy hurts - please stop...