GOP Senator arrested in men's room for trying to be the head man

[Booker Floyd]

This guy is not guilty of any crime.

This is an appropriate compendium of your approach to political discussions: defending Republicans with simple, half-hearted platitudes with little regard for facts or details. 

Did you even read the story about this incident before deciding to comment?

[SLCPUNK]

soliciting for sex in a public bathroom is considered lewd behavior which is a crime.  right?

Absolutely it sure is.

You can not suck dick at the airport bathroom.

[SLCPUNK]

By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press Writer Thu Aug 30, 7:13 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The officer who arrested Sen. Larry Craig in a police undercover operation at an airport men's room accused the senator of lying to him during an interrogation afterward, according to an audiotape of the arrest.

On the tape, released Thursday by the Minneapolis Airport Police, the Idaho Republican in turn accuses the officer of soliciting him for sex.

"I'm not gay. I don't do these kinds of things," Craig told Sgt. Dave Karsnia minutes after the two men met in a men's room at the airport on June 11.

"You shouldn't be out to entrap people," Craig told the officer. "I don't want you to take me to jail."

Karsnia replied that Craig wouldn't be going to jail as long as he cooperated.

The two men disagreed about virtually everything that had occurred minutes earlier, including whether there was a piece of paper on the floor of the stall and the meaning of the senator's hand gestures. At no time did Craig admit doing anything wrong, although weeks later he pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.

"You're not being truthful with me," Karsnia told Craig during the interrogation. "I'm kind of disappointed in you, senator."

Karsnia later told Craig he was "sitting here lying to a police officer," adding: "I expect this from the guy we get out of the 'hood. I mean people vote for you. Unbelievable."

Meanwhile, more of Craig's Republican colleagues moved away from him Thursday in the wake of his guilty plea earlier this month to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct in the undercover police operation aimed at sex solicitors.

Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who chairs the GOP's senatorial campaign committee, stopped short of calling on Craig to resign but suggested strongly that he should.

"I wouldn't put myself hopefully in that kind of position, but if I was in a position like that, that's what I would do," Ensign told The Associated Press in his home state. "He's going to have to answer that for himself."

Sens. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, each turned over to charity $2,500 in campaign donations they had received from Craig's political action committee. Coleman and Collins both face potentially tough races for re-election next year.

Coleman and several other Republicans ? including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. ? have called for Craig to resign his seat in the Senate. Craig already has agreed to a request by Republican leaders to give up his ranking status on the Veterans Affairs Committee and Appropriations subcommittees.

Craig said Tuesday he had committed no wrongdoing and shouldn't have pleaded guilty. He said he had only recently retained a lawyer to advise him in the case, which threatens to write an ignominious end to a lifetime in public office.

GOP Senate leaders said they did not act lightly in asking Craig to give up his leadership posts temporarily. But they said their decision was "in the best interest of the Senate until this situation is resolved by the ethics committee."

On the tape, Craig and the arresting officer can be heard arguing over what happened in the men's room minutes earlier. Craig acknowledges that the men's feet bumped but says nothing improper happened.

"Did we bump? Yes, I think we did. You said so. I don't disagree with that," Craig said.

But Craig disputes the officer's account that he swept his hand under the stall next to him in an apparent effort to advance the encounter. They even disagree whether Craig used his right hand or his left hand.

Craig said he was merely trying to pick up a piece of paper ? an account the officer disputes.

"I'm telling you that I could see, so I know that's your left hand. Also I could see a gold ring on this finger, so that's obvious it was the left hand," Karsnia tells Craig.

"Well we can dispute that," Craig says. "I'm not going to fight you in court. I reached down with my right hand to pick up the paper."

Karsnia said in a police report that he recognized Craig's hand gesture as a signal aimed at initiating sex. "It should be noted that there was not a piece of paper on the bathroom floor, nor did Craig pick up a piece of paper," he said in the report.

Karsnia, 29, joined the airport police department just out of college in 2000 and was promoted to sergeant in 2005. Last year, he earned a master's degree in criminal justice, leadership and education.

He has arrested at least a dozen men in the airport's bathroom for sending signals he believed were aimed at initiating sex. Each time, Karsnia walked suspects to a spot where they could speak privately, without embarrassing them, according to the police reports he wrote. He didn't handcuff them.

Meanwhile, Idaho Republican Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told CNN that Craig's loss of his committee leadership posts was "problematic," adding: "I'm sure Larry and his family are going to take those things into consideration as they go forward with their decisions."

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said that "like most Idahoans, I was shocked by the allegations against Larry and by his guilty plea. However, I tend to judge people by the totality of their career and Senator Craig has been a dedicated public servant who has been an asset for Idaho for almost 30 years. At this time, I will not pass judgment on this matter."

___

[SLCPUNK]

soliciting for sex in a public bathroom is considered lewd behavior which is a crime.  right?

Absolutely it sure is.

You can not suck dick at the airport bathroom.

SHHHH don't say that too loud, you might disappoint some of our republican posters!!!  Dudes its ok, you can come out!

LOL, well, they seem scared of this thread that's for sure.

To be clear the crime he was accused of is "gross invasion of privacy". For example you're sitting on the toilet trying to pinch one off, and some Republican comes up to the crack in the door, opens his kisser and makes phallus-like motions with his index finger. He gets in the stall next to you, and proceeds to show case an assortment of hand gestures under the divider suggestive of sex acts. Finally he moves his foot over into your stall for a little confirmation.

Now, I don't know what airport toilets some of you have had the displeasure of using, but in the one's I've seen , there is an adequate amount of room between my feet and the queer Republican next to me. When somebody is using the bathroom stall, the law states he/she has a reasonable expectation of privacy, especially from Republican homosexuals. Mr. Craig was witnessed by a police officer, and rightfully charged for this infraction.

[freedom78]

 I listened to the audio of his post arrest questioning, today, and it was fairly damning (at least politically).  The GOP supporters can't even argue that the guy was set up...how would a cop in a shitter know that (or expect) a US Senator would plop a squat next to him and try to get some tail?  This guy is completely done.

[The Dog]

More amazing is how he could have just not said a word and just let his lawyers deal with it.  be safe to say we wouldn't be discussing it now.

unless he WANTED to get caught?  maybe he doesn't have to hide from what he is now.  its that part of it that is truly sad.  the man has probably lived his whole life as a lie.   

[Dr. Blutarsky]

This guy is not guilty of any crime.

This is an appropriate compendium of your approach to political discussions: defending Republicans with simple, half-hearted platitudes with little regard for facts or details. 

Did you even read the story about this incident before deciding to comment?

I am not trying to defend him because he is a republican, I'm actually defending gays, whether they are in the closet or not.  What I am saying is that he did not commit any sex act, he made a suggestion. Look at it this way, is it a crime to tell a pretty girl she has a nice ass?

You are so quick to jump all over my ass when you think I am defending republicans. I am an independent thinker, no political party dictates my opinions. Also unlike yourself, I don't trash talk and attack those who disagree with me because they have a right to their opinions. What a novel idea....

[polluxlm]

Look at it this way, is it a crime to tell a pretty girl she has a nice ass?

As a matter of fact, it is.

[JMack]

? ? ?Now I myself often place my feet in a paper bag when in stalls just to keep my shoes clean and usually tidy up a bit.? If someone really needs to use the stall I'm in, how can I turn another who is in intestinal/bladder distress?? I let him in damn it and when that happens sometimes someone takes a shlong in the mouth but I know I did the right thing.? Honestly though if your going to bash a republicans then I say "I'M REPUBLICAN AND I'M LOUD AND I'M PROUD!"?
? ?This has turned into a funny thread.? It's common knowledge about rest stops and public bathrooms.? For instance Pennsyvania Station NYC NY.? We were part of prostitution/quality of life conditions team assigned to chase the pervs out on a daily basis.? On some nights you arrested the sick fucks and on others we just fucked with them.? It was like a game and they played along too.? If it were a night where you were going to the central booking then you best not run or belabor the point, you got arrested period.? The "johns" who were waiting for a train to go back to there families disgusted us and cried like babies.? At first you feel bad but then you say fuck em they're bringing the possiblity of diseases home.? These same guys usually were able to afford to pay some high priced guy or girl to meet them w/o a problem yet they chose Penn Station?
? ?Some were powerful people too judges doctors friends of politicians and of course the good reverend.? Some were able to weasel their way out through connections and start mouthing off and we were real cool with it especially after showing the person their picture next to their "friend" with their home address etc..and usually traced who got them off so they would cry again.? I wonder why we were eventually disbanded?? Too much OT and fun probably.
? ?We played sad face, happy face with some.? We would let them go (Happy Face) and then the Port Authority would take them in (Sad Face).? It had nothing to do with being gay either it was just wrong legally and wrong for the heath of all involved and their families.
? ? ?Plus if I had to go to the head, I would have to use locked hidden subway bathrooms or a friendly hotel or door man Eh not the actual doorman but the building he worked at.? The Helmsley Hotel was very good as was the Daily News and UPS if in the area.? I know it's cleaner now then back then but still, When I'm with my family and one of them has to use the bathroom, this shit stays in your head and you still can't let your kid go to a bathroom in an airport or train station alone. I don't know?? There's no politics when it comes to perversion but have at it because some of these post are funny.? Oh and by the way "solicitation for sex is a crime"? even if the act wasn't actually carried out.? The invasion of privacy or a persons space is pretty much summed up in harassment, it just depends on the degree.
? ?Now I have the urge to go to the bathroom and then afterwards get a blow job how queer?? Be gay and enjoy life smoke a fag and relax...Ok I'll stop now it's not funny anymore.

[JMack]

Look at it this way, is it a crime to tell a pretty girl she has a nice ass?

As a matter of fact, it is.

Form of harassment again depends on the degree

[Booker Floyd]

What I am saying is that he did not commit any sex act, he made a suggestion. Look at it this way, is it a crime to tell a pretty girl she has a nice ass?

He is literally guilty of a crime.  Do you understand?

[D]

HEy now, Just cause u try to get a blowjob in the men's room, that doesn't make u gay.  Maybe the guy was very attractive.........

[JMack]

HEy now, Just cause u try to get a blowjob in the men's room, that doesn't make u gay.? Maybe the guy was very attractive.........

Good point good point...What are you wearing?

[freedom78]

Regarding his excuse that he was picking up some paper, I'm a bit confused.  Are you telling me that a US Senators best excuse for his hand being down there, was that he was going to pick up some, filthy, piss dribbled on, piece of paper, off the floor of an airport mens room?  Because that's repulsive.  How about "I was retying my shoe." 

[fuckin crazy]

It's common knowledge about rest stops and public bathrooms. ?

I wouldn't say that, while I have heard of the practice(George Micheal), I had no ideal it was a common practice.


I'm all for the administration starting a war on crappers.

[freedom78]

I'm uncertain how they establish that he was trying to get some while in the bathroom, versus trying to pick someone up to leave the bathroom, go to a hotel/home, and then have "relations."

[The Dog]

It's common knowledge about rest stops and public bathrooms. 

I wouldn't say that, while I have heard of the practice(George Micheal), I had no ideal it was a common practice.


I'm all for the administration starting a war on crappers.

we have to fight them there, so they don't "come" here

stay the course, regardless of the size of your turd

Hate to "cut and run", but i got a plane to catch....

 

[JMack]

It's common knowledge about rest stops and public bathrooms. ?

I wouldn't say that, while I have heard of the practice(George Micheal), I had no ideal it was a common practice.


I'm all for the administration starting a war on crappers.

Yeah well unfortunately I've had to car pool which means park and rides and rest stops.? I have seen the lot lizards in action and growing up in NYC some become more street wise to where to stay away from and then due to employment circumstances had to deal with it hands on (well that's sounds weird).? I'll say hands off if it'll make it sound better.? I guess big cities and airports deal with it more, but it's everywhere I'm sure I've traveled quite a bit and tend to be spatial on many fronts.? I'm sure it's everywhere in one form or another.
? ?What would use as weaponry:Daisey cutters, bumker busters or create a more family oriented bathroom.? Perhaps bring back the bathroom attendant with incentives? Maybe a third don't ask don't tell rest room.

When will candidate be asked if they have ever used signaling in a public bathroom and what would you do to stop the behavior found in recent scandals you have 90 seconds.

I feel bad for a deaf guy to try to communicate with someone re:hand towels and the dude pulls his pants down.?

[SLCPUNK]

HEy now, Just cause u try to get a blowjob in the men's room, that doesn't make u gay.  Maybe the guy was very attractive.........

Word has it the Senator has very pretty teeth.

[fuckin crazy]

   What would use as weaponry:Daisey cutters, bumker busters or create a more family oriented bathroom.  Perhaps bring back the bathroom attendant with incentives? Maybe a third don't ask don't tell rest room.

I feel bad for a deaf guy to try to communicate with someone re:hand towels and the dude pulls his pants down. 

ROTF, collateral damage.