Democratic-led Ethics Committee drags their feet on Larry Craig John Byrne

Published: Wednesday November 14, 2007



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Print This Email This The Senate Ethics Committee investigation of Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) is moving forward. In typical congressional fashion, the inquiry is moving at a snail-like pace. None of the players have been contacted except Craig, according to Rachel Van Dongen, writing in the paid registration-restricted Roll Call. The Idaho Republican's legal saga began in June when he was arrested for what police said were attempts to solicit an undercover officer in a men's room at the Minneapolis airport. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in an apparent attempt to keep the story of his arrest hidden. In October, a Minnesota judge denied Sen. Larry Craig's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea after he was caught up in a public-restroom sex sting. Craig's guilty plea to disorderly conduct was "accurate, voluntary and intelligent" and "the conviction is supported by the evidence," the judge wrote. The Idaho Senator said he won't leave the Senate, despite the fact he said he'd be stepping down in the weeks following the arrest's revelation in late August. "As in past Ethics probes, the committee could rely for its investigation on Craigs guilty plea and other public records in the Minnesota legal proceeding in which Craig is attempting to retract that plea," Van Dongen writes. "Despite initially stating his intention to resign, Craig has now vowed to remain in the Senate until January 2009." "Regardless, it may be a long time before the secretive panels findings are made public as Senate Ethics rules dictate a long and largely opaque process." "According to those rules, a preliminary inquiry can last for as long as the chairman and ranking member of the committee desire and the committees progress may not be made public until the case is dismissed, a letter of admonition is issued or a broader inquiry is opened." The public affairs manager for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Kathleen Bangs told Roll Call that no one from the Senate panel has contacted the airport staff or the local prosecutor. There's "not been a single inquiry," she told the paper. A spokeswoman for Ethics Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said last week the probe is underway, "continuing to conduct its preliminary inquiry. Ranking Ethics Republican Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) declined to comment. Craig told the paper he had been contacted by the Committee but did not know the status of the inquiry.



