Larry Craig defense fund fizzles
11.10.2008 1:14pm EST
(Washington) A fundraising scheme set up by Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) to pay for his fight to overturn his guilty plea in a gay sex sting has little success – raising just $4,645.
Craig created his “Fund for Justice” last spring, after the Senate Ethics Committee chided him for spending $213,000 in campaign funds to pay legal and public relations fees without the panel’s approval.Most of the donations to the fund range from $50 to $300 and came from personal friends and neighbors. His legal expenses are believed to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Craig, a three-term Republican from Idaho, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in August 2007 after he was accused of soliciting sex from an undercover police officer at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Sgt. Dave Karsnia said Craig tapped his feet and swiped his hand under a stall divider in a way that signaled he wanted sex. Craig has denied that, saying his actions were misconstrued.
After his arrest and guilty plea became public, Craig held a news conference to say he is not gay and that he pleaded guilty only to avoid the scandal of a trial.
Since then Craig has been fighting to withdraw the plea.
County District Judge Charles Porter refused, saying Craig’s plea “was accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and … supported by the evidence.”
Craig appealed that ruling to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which heard arguments earlier this month.
His attorney told the court that Craig wants to correct a “manifest injustice” and that those fighting against the senator failed to show he had participated in any criminal conduct.
Prosecutors maintained that Craig’s plea was entered voluntarily.
The court has yet to issue a ruling.
Craig has a long history of voting against every LGBT issue that came before the Senate and of supporting two attempts to pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban gays from marrying.
Craig first promised that he would resign last Sept. 30, then reversed his decision, saying he would stay in office until his term expires in January. Craig did not run for re-election.





Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy…
As sad of an individual as Larry Craig is, this remains an unfortunate situation.
People remain entrapped in locations throughout the country. I was born and raised in Ohio. Ohio at one time had an Importuning Law. What that basically was that if you asked a same sex individual out on so little as a date and it was unwanted, you had committed a crime.
Thankfully we are seeing less “Sting” operations set up.
I’m surprised he was able to raise the $4,645!
LOL!
It was all under-the-stall donations.
ba dum bump!