FLASHBACK – Anti-gay GOP senator arrested for trying to pick up other men in public bathroom



“I have a wide stance.”

Who remembers when Larry Craig, an ultra-conservative, anti-gay U.S. Senator from Idaho, was arrested in a Minneapolis Airport bathroom on charges of lewd and disorderly conduct on June 11, 2007? The incident occurred when Craig was caught in a sex-solicitation sting operation launched due to frequent complaints about lewd conduct in the busy airport restroom.

An undercover police officer, Sgt. Dave Karsnia, was stationed in a bathroom stall when he observed Craig peering into his stall and then entering the adjacent one. According to the arrest report, Craig tapped his foot several times and moved it closer to the officer’s stall, touching the officer’s foot. The officer recognized this as a signal often used to communicate a desire for sexual activity.

Following his arrest, Craig initially pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. However, he later claimed that the officer had misconstrued his actions and attempted unsuccessfully to withdraw his guilty plea. Craig maintained his innocence, stating, “Let me be clear, I am not gay. I never have been gay.”

Gay or not, the evidence clearly demonstrated solicitation of other men for sex.

The incident had significant repercussions for Craig’s political career. He initially announced his intention to resign from the Senate but later changed his mind and served out his term, which ended in January 2009. Craig did not seek re-election. He was also removed from his leadership positions in Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

For someone asserting his innocence, his subsequent actions certainly appeared to align more with those of a guilty individual.

Craig’s legal defense strategy led to further complications. He used campaign funds to pay for his legal defense, arguing that the incident occurred during official travel between Idaho and Washington. As a result, in 2014, a federal judge ordered Craig to repay $197,535 to the U.S. Treasury and pay a $45,000 civil penalty for improperly using campaign funds. And in 2016, a federal appeals court upheld the lower court’s decision, ruling that Craig had improperly used campaign funds for his legal defense.

The incident turned the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport bathroom into a brief tourist attraction, with the airport considering modifications to prevent similar incidents. However, the publicity surrounding Craig’s arrest effectively ended the problematic behavior that had prompted the initial complaints.

Senator Craig had a consistent record of voting against gay rights and LGBTQ+ protections throughout his career in the U.S. Senate. His voting history on these issues stands in stark contrast to the allegations and controversy surrounding his own behavior.

Craig’s anti-gay voting record includes voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, which denied federal recognition of same-sex marriages. He also voted for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, voted against prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and voted against expanding hate crime laws to include sexual orientation.

Craig also supported efforts to bar same-sex couples from adopting children in Washington D.C

The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, gave Craig a 0% rating, indicating a consistently anti-gay-rights stance.

Craig also supported efforts to bar same-sex couples from adopting children in Washington D.C.

The contrast between Craig’s voting record and his 2007 arrest for allegedly soliciting sex in a men’s restroom led to accusations of hypocrisy.

Despite his anti-gay voting history, Craig faced “multiple” allegations of same-sex encounters throughout his career, which he consistently denied.

Craig’s insistence that “I am not gay” following his arrest was met with criticism from gay rights activists, who pointed out the discrepancy between his public stance and private actions. His voting record and subsequent scandal effectively ended his political career.

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