Larry Craig
Encyclopedia
Larry Edwin Craig is a former Republican
politician
from the U.S. state
of Idaho
. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate
(1991–2009), preceded by 10 years in the U.S. House, representing Idaho's first district
(1981–91). His 28 years in the Congress
rank as the second-longest in Idaho history
, trailing only William Borah
, who served over 32 years in the Senate. In addition to serving in Congress, Craig has been a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association
since 1983. Craig has also been selected for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame. Although he was selected in March 2007, the announcement was made in October 2007.
On August 27, 2007, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call
revealed that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct
in the men's restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 11, 2007, and entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct
on August 8, 2007. Despite firmly stating that he was not gay and never has been gay, Craig announced his intention to resign from the Senate at a news conference on September 1, 2007, but later decided to finish the remainder of his term.
Craig was not a candidate for re-election in 2008
. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor and former Governor Jim Risch
who won the seat in the November 2008 election.
, Idaho
, to Dorothy Lenore McCord and Elvin Oren Craig. He grew up on a ranch
outside Midvale
in Washington County
. In 1969 he received his Bachelor of Arts
degree
in political science
from the University of Idaho
. At the University of Idaho, he was student body president and a member of the Delta Chi
fraternity
. He pursued graduate studies at George Washington University
before returning to his family's Midvale ranching business in 1971. Craig was a member of the Idaho Army National Guard
from 1970 to 1972, attaining the rank
of Private First Class
(E3), after which he received an honorable discharge.
Craig married Suzanne Thompson in 1983 and adopted the three children she had from a previous marriage. Through his adopted children, Craig has nine grandchildren.
in 1974 and reelected in 1976 and 1978.
In 1980, Craig was elected to an open seat
in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district. He succeeded Republican Steve Symms
, who left the House and was elected to the Senate after defeating Democrat Frank Church
. Craig was re-elected four times, serving until 1991. While in the House, he supported President
Ronald Reagan's
push to expand vocational education.
Allegations of cocaine use and sex with male teenage congressional page
s by unnamed congressmen were pursued by investigators and journalists in 1982. Craig issued a statement denying involvement. Craig stated "Persons who are unmarried as I am, by choice or by circumstance, have always been the subject of innuendos, gossip and false accusations. I think this is despicable." Craig served on the House Ethics Committee
. In 1989 Craig was reported to have led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Representative Barney Frank
for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal.
for the seat vacated by the retiring James A. McClure
. Craig defeated Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones
in the Republican primary
. In the general election he defeated Democratic
former Idaho Legislature
member Ron J. Twilegar
with 57 percent of the vote.
In 1995, Craig formed a barbershop quartet called The Singing Senators
with Senators Trent Lott
, John Ashcroft
, and James Jeffords.
Craig was reelected in 1996, again with 57 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Walt Minnick
. He was reelected again in the 2002 election with 65 percent of the vote, when he spent $3.2 million to defeat Alan Blinken
.
In 1999 Craig became sharply critical of U.S. President Bill Clinton
for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Speaking on NBC
's Meet The Press
, Craig told Tim Russert
: "The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy - a naughty boy. I'm going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy."
Craig served as Senate Republican Policy Committee chairman
from 1997 until 2003. He then became chairman of the Special Committee on Aging
. After the Democrats gained control of the Senate in the 2006 Congressional election, Craig became the ranking member
of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
and a member of the Appropriations Committee
and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee
. He served as the ranking member of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Amid the controversy surrounding his arrest and guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct, Craig temporarily stepped aside as ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee
and two subcommittees in August 2007.
Craig is a longtime, leading advocate for a Balanced Budget Amendment
to the United States Constitution
.
In May 2003, Craig put a hold
on more than 200 Air Force
promotions
in an attempt to pressure the Air Force to station four new C-130
cargo planes
in Idaho, saying he received a commitment from the Air Force almost seven years earlier that the planes would be delivered. Defense Department
officials said the reason the C-130s had not been sent to Idaho was that no new aircraft were being manufactured for the type of transport mission done by the Idaho Air National Guard
unit where Craig wanted the planes delivered.
Craig supports the guest worker program
proposed by President George W. Bush
. In April 2005, Craig tried to amend an Iraq War supplemental bill with an amendment that would have granted legal status to between 500,000 and one million illegal immigrants
in farm work. The amendment failed with 53 votes (60 votes were needed because the amendment was not germane to the underlying bill). A version of the AgJOBS bill legislation was included in the Senate-passed immigration reform bill in 2006. Craig, the principal sponsor of AgJOBS, continues to support amnesty
for illegal immigrants who are "trusted workers with a significant work history in American agriculture." This position has been sharply criticized by anti-illegal immigration activists. On June 26, 2007, Craig reiterated his support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
.
In October 2005, Craig suggested that flooded sections of New Orleans should be abandoned after Hurricane Katrina
had hit and was quoted on a Baton Rouge television station as saying that "Fraud
is in the culture of Iraq
is. I believe that is true in the state of Louisiana
as well."
On December 16, 2005, Craig voted against a cloture
motion filed relative to the USA PATRIOT Act
; the motion ultimately earned only 52 votes, and so a Democratic filibuster
against extension of the act (due to expire at the end of 2005) was permitted to continue. On December 21, 2005, Craig backed a six-month extension of the Act while further negotiations took place. On February 9, 2006, Craig announced an agreement among himself, the White House
, and fellow Senators John E. Sununu
, Arlen Specter
, Lisa Murkowski
, Chuck Hagel
and Richard Durbin to reauthorize the Act.
In 2006, Craig posted to his Senate website all the earmark
s he had inserted into federal spending bills since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee in 1998.
The American Conservative Union
rated Craig's 2005 voting record at 96 out of 100 points, while the Americans for Democratic Action
rated him at 15 points. Craig supported the Federal Marriage Amendment
, which barred extension of rights to same-sex couples; he voted for cloture on the amendment in both 2004 and 2006, and was a cosponsor in 2008. However, in late 2006 he appeared to endorse the right of individual states to create same-sex civil unions, but said he would vote "yes" on an Idaho constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages when pressured to clarify his position by the anti-gay rights advocacy group Families for a Better Idaho. Craig voted against cloture in 2002, which would have extended the federal definition of hate crime
s to cover sexual orientation
. This legislation was passed in 2007 in both the House and the Senate as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Craig voted against the measure. The LGBT advocacy
group the Human Rights Campaign
issued guides to candidates' voting records in 2004. The Human Rights Campaign group gave him a 0 rating.
Prior to the nomination of Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne
, Craig was mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed Gale Norton
as United States Secretary of the Interior
in March 2006.
. He had been picked in March 2007, months before the arrest.
on suspicion of lewd conduct in a men's restroom, where he was accused of soliciting an undercover police officer for sexual activity. During the resulting interview with the arresting officer, Craig insisted upon his innocence, disputing the officer's version of the event by stating that he merely had a "wide stance" (Craig states that he said he was a "wide guy",) and that he had been picking a piece of paper from the floor.
Despite his statements of innocence during the interview, Craig later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
charge of disorderly conduct
by signing and mailing a plea petition, dated August 1, 2007, to the Hennepin County District Court
in Minnesota
. He paid $575, including fines and fees. Senator Craig signed the petition to enter his guilty plea, which contained the provisions, "I understand that the court will not accept a plea of guilty from anyone who claims to be innocent... I now make no claim that I am innocent of the charge to which I am entering a plea of guilty." Craig mailed his signed petition to the court, and his petition to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge was accepted and filed by the court on August 8, 2007. In an August 28, 2007, press conference Craig regretted filing the guilty plea, stating "In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously"
At a news conference on September 1, 2007, Craig announced his intent to resign, "with sadness and deep regret", effective September 30, 2007. On September 4, 2007, a spokesperson for Craig indicated that he was reconsidering his decision to resign, if his conviction was rapidly overturned and his committee assignments were restored. The following week, Craig's attorneys filed a motion
to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that it "was not knowing and intelligent and therefore was in violation of his constitutional rights." The motion was ultimately denied, upholding the initial guilty plea.
Following the ruling, Craig announced that despite his previous statements to the contrary, he would serve out his Senate term. He stated that he intended to "continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate." Craig did not seek reelection in 2008 and left office on January 3, 2009.
Both the 2009 documentary Outrage and the magazine Newsweek
(June 7, 2010 issue) listed Craig, among others, as a prominent conservative politician who had a record of anti-gay legislation and then was caught in a gay
sex scandal.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Senate elections in Idaho (Class II): Results 1990–2002
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1990
|
| |Ron J. Twilegar
| align="right" |122,295
| |38.7%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |193,641
| |61.3%
|-
|1996
|
| |Walt Minnick
| align="right" |198,422
| |39.9%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |283,532
| |57.0%
|
| |Mary J. Charbonneau
| |Independent
| align="right" |10,137
| align="right" |2.0%
|
| |Susan Vegors
| |Natural Law
| align="right" |5,142
| align="right" |1.0%
|
|-
|2002
|
| |Alan Blinken
| align="right" |132,975
| |32.5%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |266,215
| |65.2%
|
| |Donovan Bramwell
| |Libertarian
| align="right" |9,354
| align="right" |2.3%
|
1988 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 65.7%
|-
|Jeanne Givens (D) 34.3%
|}
1984 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 68.6%
|-
|Bill Heller (D) 31.4%
|}
1982 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 53.6%
|-
|Larry LaRocco
(D) 46.4%
|}
1980 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) 53.7%
|-
|Glenn W. Nichols (D) 46.3%
|}
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
(1991–2009), preceded by 10 years in the U.S. House, representing Idaho's first district
Idaho's 1st congressional district
Idaho's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Idaho. The district encompasses the western and northern parts of the state and includes the western third of the state capital, Boise, and most of its suburbs, including Nampa, Caldwell, and Meridian...
(1981–91). His 28 years in the Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
rank as the second-longest in Idaho history
History of Idaho
The history of Idaho is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Idaho, a geographical area in the Pacific Northwest area near the west coast of the United States and Canada...
, trailing only William Borah
William Edgar Borah
William Edgar Borah was a prominent Republican attorney and longtime United States Senator from Idaho noted for his oratorical skills and isolationist views. One of his nicknames later in life was "The Lion of Idaho."...
, who served over 32 years in the Senate. In addition to serving in Congress, Craig has been a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
since 1983. Craig has also been selected for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame. Although he was selected in March 2007, the announcement was made in October 2007.
On August 27, 2007, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call
Roll Call
Roll Call is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States, from Monday to Thursday when the United States Congress is in session and on Mondays only during recess. Roll Call reports news of legislative and political maneuverings on Capitol Hill, as well as political coverage of...
revealed that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct
Lascivious
"Lascivious" is a word synonymous with lustful or lewd or unruly .- Legal usage :In American legal jargon, lascivious is a semi-technical term indicating immoral sexual thoughts or actions. It is often used in the legal description of criminal acts in which some sort of sexual activity is...
in the men's restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 11, 2007, and entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
on August 8, 2007. Despite firmly stating that he was not gay and never has been gay, Craig announced his intention to resign from the Senate at a news conference on September 1, 2007, but later decided to finish the remainder of his term.
Craig was not a candidate for re-election in 2008
United States Senate election in Idaho, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Idaho was held on November 4, 2008. The primary elections were held on May 27th. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Larry Craig decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term...
. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor and former Governor Jim Risch
Jim Risch
James Elroy "Jim" Risch is a Republican politician, rancher, and attorney from Ada County, currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Idaho. He previously served as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Idaho.-Early life:Risch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
who won the seat in the November 2008 election.
Early life and family
Craig was born in CouncilCouncil, Idaho
Council is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Idaho, United States. The population was 839 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Council is located at ....
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, to Dorothy Lenore McCord and Elvin Oren Craig. He grew up on a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
outside Midvale
Midvale, Idaho
Midvale is a city in Washington County, Idaho, United States. The population was 176 at the 2000 census.Midvale is the hometown of former U.S. Senator, Larry Craig.-History:...
in Washington County
Washington County, Idaho
Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1879 when Idaho was a territory, it was named after U.S. president George Washington. As of the 2000 Census, the county had a population of 9,977; it is estimated to have risen to 10,147 by 2007...
. In 1969 he received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
. At the University of Idaho, he was student body president and a member of the Delta Chi
Delta Chi
Delta Chi or D-Chi is an international Greek letter college social fraternity formed on October 13, 1890,at Cornell University, initially as a professional fraternity for law students. On April 29, 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership social fraternity, eliminating the requirement for men...
fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
. He pursued graduate studies at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
before returning to his family's Midvale ranching business in 1971. Craig was a member of the Idaho Army National Guard
Idaho Army National Guard
The Idaho Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
from 1970 to 1972, attaining the rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
of Private First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
(E3), after which he received an honorable discharge.
Craig married Suzanne Thompson in 1983 and adopted the three children she had from a previous marriage. Through his adopted children, Craig has nine grandchildren.
Political career
Craig was elected to the Idaho SenateIdaho Senate
The Idaho Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. It consists of 35 Senators elected to two-year terms, each representing a district of the state. The Senate meets at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, Idaho.-Composition of the Senate:...
in 1974 and reelected in 1976 and 1978.
In 1980, Craig was elected to an open seat
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district. He succeeded Republican Steve Symms
Steve Symms
Steven Douglas Symms was a four-term congressman and two-term U.S. senator from Idaho. He was among the most conservative members of the Republican Party...
, who left the House and was elected to the Senate after defeating Democrat Frank Church
Frank Church
Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Idaho from 1957 to 1981....
. Craig was re-elected four times, serving until 1991. While in the House, he supported President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan's
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
push to expand vocational education.
Allegations of cocaine use and sex with male teenage congressional page
United States House of Representatives Page
United States House of Representatives Page Program was a program run by the United States House of Representatives, under the office of the Clerk of the House, in which appointed high school juniors acted as non-partisan federal employees in the House of Representatives, providing supplemental...
s by unnamed congressmen were pursued by investigators and journalists in 1982. Craig issued a statement denying involvement. Craig stated "Persons who are unmarried as I am, by choice or by circumstance, have always been the subject of innuendos, gossip and false accusations. I think this is despicable." Craig served on the House Ethics Committee
United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
The Committee on Ethics, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. Prior to the 112th Congress it was known as the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct....
. In 1989 Craig was reported to have led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Representative Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal.
U.S. Senate
Craig announced his candidacy for the 1990 Senate electionUnited States Senate elections, 1990
Elections to one-third of the seats in the United States Senate were held on Tuesday, November 6, 1990. The Democratic Party increased its majority with a net gain of one seat from the Republicans. This was in keeping with the trend that the party of the President often loses seats in a midterm...
for the seat vacated by the retiring James A. McClure
James A. McClure
James Albertus "Jim" McClure was an American politician from the state of Idaho, most notably serving as a Republican in the U.S. Senate....
. Craig defeated Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones
Jim Jones (jurist)
Jim Jones is a Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court and a former Attorney General of Idaho.Jones was born in Twin Falls, Idaho. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and the Northwestern University School of Law...
in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. In the general election he defeated Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
former Idaho Legislature
Idaho Legislature
The Idaho Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Idaho. It consists of the upper Idaho Senate and the lower Idaho House of Representatives. The Idaho Senate contains 35 Senators, who are elected from 35 districts...
member Ron J. Twilegar
Ron J. Twilegar
Ron J. Twilegar is the county prosecutor in Boise County, Idaho. Twilegar was the 1990 Democratic nominee for the open United States Senate seat in Idaho vacated by Jim McClure...
with 57 percent of the vote.
In 1995, Craig formed a barbershop quartet called The Singing Senators
The Singing Senators
The Singing Senators were a group of U.S. Republican Senators who sang as a barbershop quartet.- Members :Representation as of 2000:* Fmr. Sen. John Ashcroft – Baritone* Fmr. Sen. Larry Craig – Lead...
with Senators Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
, John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
, and James Jeffords.
Craig was reelected in 1996, again with 57 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Walt Minnick
Walt Minnick
Walter Clifford "Walt" Minnick is the former U.S. House of Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. He was reelected again in the 2002 election with 65 percent of the vote, when he spent $3.2 million to defeat Alan Blinken
Alan Blinken
Alan John Blinken was the 2002 Democratic nominee for United States Senate in Idaho. He was defeated by the Republican incumbent, Larry Craig. Previously, as a resident of New York City in 1990, Blinken ran for the New York State Assembly in Manhattan, but lost to Republican John Ravitz.Blinken...
.
In 1999 Craig became sharply critical of U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Speaking on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Meet The Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
, Craig told Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
: "The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy - a naughty boy. I'm going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy."
Craig served as Senate Republican Policy Committee chairman
Republican Policy Committee Chairman of the United States Senate
Since 1947, the Republican members of the United States Senate have elected a policy committee chairman, who is the fourth-ranking Republican, behind the Republican Leader, Republican Whip, and Republican Conference Chairman....
from 1997 until 2003. He then became chairman of the Special Committee on Aging
United States Senate Special Committee on Aging
The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent Senate committee in 1977...
. After the Democrats gained control of the Senate in the 2006 Congressional election, Craig became the ranking member
Ranking member
In United States politics, a ranking member is the second-most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the majority party. Another usage refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This second usage, often...
of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans issues.-Members, 112th Congress:The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, and the Ranking Member is Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.Source: -Chairmen of the Senate...
and a member of the Appropriations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee
United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy, territorial policy, native Hawaiian matters, and public lands....
. He served as the ranking member of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Amid the controversy surrounding his arrest and guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct, Craig temporarily stepped aside as ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee
United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans issues.-Members, 112th Congress:The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, and the Ranking Member is Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.Source: -Chairmen of the Senate...
and two subcommittees in August 2007.
Craig is a longtime, leading advocate for a Balanced Budget Amendment
Balanced Budget Amendment
A balanced-budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring that the state cannot spend more than its income. It requires a balance between the projected receipts and expenditures of the government....
to the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
.
In May 2003, Craig put a hold
Secret hold
In the United States Senate, a hold is a parliamentary procedure permitted by the Standing Rules of the United States Senate which allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor....
on more than 200 Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
promotions
Promotion (rank)
A promotion is the advancement of an employee's rank or position in an organizational hierarchy system. Promotion may be an employee's reward for good performance i.e. positive appraisal...
in an attempt to pressure the Air Force to station four new C-130
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
cargo planes
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
in Idaho, saying he received a commitment from the Air Force almost seven years earlier that the planes would be delivered. Defense Department
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
officials said the reason the C-130s had not been sent to Idaho was that no new aircraft were being manufactured for the type of transport mission done by the Idaho Air National Guard
Idaho Air National Guard
The Idaho Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is, along with the Idaho Army National Guard, an element of the Idaho National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as its state mission....
unit where Craig wanted the planes delivered.
Craig supports the guest worker program
Guest worker program
The Guest Worker Program is a program that has been proposed many times, including by U.S. President George W. Bush's administration as a way to permit U.S. employers to sponsor non-U.S. citizens as laborers for approximately three years, to be deported afterwards if they have not yet obtained a...
proposed by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. In April 2005, Craig tried to amend an Iraq War supplemental bill with an amendment that would have granted legal status to between 500,000 and one million illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
in farm work. The amendment failed with 53 votes (60 votes were needed because the amendment was not germane to the underlying bill). A version of the AgJOBS bill legislation was included in the Senate-passed immigration reform bill in 2006. Craig, the principal sponsor of AgJOBS, continues to support amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
for illegal immigrants who are "trusted workers with a significant work history in American agriculture." This position has been sharply criticized by anti-illegal immigration activists. On June 26, 2007, Craig reiterated his support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or, in its full name, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 to...
.
In October 2005, Craig suggested that flooded sections of New Orleans should be abandoned after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
had hit and was quoted on a Baton Rouge television station as saying that "Fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
is in the culture of Iraq
Culture of Iraq
Iraq has one of the world's oldest cultural histories. Iraq is where the Ancient Mesopotamian civilizations were, whose legacy went on to influence and shape the civilizations of the Old World. Culturally, Iraq has a very rich heritage. The country is known for its poets and its painters and...
is. I believe that is true in the state of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
as well."
On December 16, 2005, Craig voted against a cloture
Cloture
In parliamentary procedure, cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. It is also called closure or, informally, a guillotine. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. Clôture is French for "ending" or "conclusion"...
motion filed relative to the USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
; the motion ultimately earned only 52 votes, and so a Democratic filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
against extension of the act (due to expire at the end of 2005) was permitted to continue. On December 21, 2005, Craig backed a six-month extension of the Act while further negotiations took place. On February 9, 2006, Craig announced an agreement among himself, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, and fellow Senators John E. Sununu
John E. Sununu
John Edward Sununu is a former Republican United States Senator from New Hampshire, of Lebanese and Palestinian Christian ancestry. Sununu was the youngest member of the Senate for his entire six year term. He is the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H...
, Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
, Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
, Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002...
and Richard Durbin to reauthorize the Act.
In 2006, Craig posted to his Senate website all the earmark
Earmark (politics)
In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
s he had inserted into federal spending bills since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee in 1998.
The American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
rated Craig's 2005 voting record at 96 out of 100 points, while the Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
rated him at 15 points. Craig supported the Federal Marriage Amendment
Federal Marriage Amendment
The Federal Marriage Amendment H.J. Res. 56 was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution which would have limited marriage in the United States to unions of one man and one woman...
, which barred extension of rights to same-sex couples; he voted for cloture on the amendment in both 2004 and 2006, and was a cosponsor in 2008. However, in late 2006 he appeared to endorse the right of individual states to create same-sex civil unions, but said he would vote "yes" on an Idaho constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages when pressured to clarify his position by the anti-gay rights advocacy group Families for a Better Idaho. Craig voted against cloture in 2002, which would have extended the federal definition of hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
s to cover sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
. This legislation was passed in 2007 in both the House and the Senate as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Craig voted against the measure. The LGBT advocacy
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
group the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
issued guides to candidates' voting records in 2004. The Human Rights Campaign group gave him a 0 rating.
Prior to the nomination of Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...
, Craig was mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed Gale Norton
Gale Norton
Gale Ann Norton served as the 48th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush...
as United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
in March 2006.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, and Children's Health Protection
- Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
- Subcommittee on Water and Power
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Special Committee on Aging
Idaho Hall of Fame induction
In 2007, Idaho Hall of Fame Association inducted Larry Craig into the Idaho Hall of Fame, despite his well-publicized arrest and guilty plea in an airport sex sting, following the failure to appealAppeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
. He had been picked in March 2007, months before the arrest.
2007 arrest and consequences
On June 11, 2007, Craig was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International AirportMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
on suspicion of lewd conduct in a men's restroom, where he was accused of soliciting an undercover police officer for sexual activity. During the resulting interview with the arresting officer, Craig insisted upon his innocence, disputing the officer's version of the event by stating that he merely had a "wide stance" (Craig states that he said he was a "wide guy",) and that he had been picking a piece of paper from the floor.
Despite his statements of innocence during the interview, Craig later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
charge of disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
by signing and mailing a plea petition, dated August 1, 2007, to the Hennepin County District Court
Hennepin County Government Center
The Hennepin County Government Center is the courthouse and primary county government administration building for Hennepin County in the State of Minnesota. It is located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, the county seat of Hennepin County...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He paid $575, including fines and fees. Senator Craig signed the petition to enter his guilty plea, which contained the provisions, "I understand that the court will not accept a plea of guilty from anyone who claims to be innocent... I now make no claim that I am innocent of the charge to which I am entering a plea of guilty." Craig mailed his signed petition to the court, and his petition to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge was accepted and filed by the court on August 8, 2007. In an August 28, 2007, press conference Craig regretted filing the guilty plea, stating "In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously"
At a news conference on September 1, 2007, Craig announced his intent to resign, "with sadness and deep regret", effective September 30, 2007. On September 4, 2007, a spokesperson for Craig indicated that he was reconsidering his decision to resign, if his conviction was rapidly overturned and his committee assignments were restored. The following week, Craig's attorneys filed a motion
Motion (legal)
In law, a motion is a procedural device to bring a limited, contested issue before a court for decision. A motion may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. Motions may be made at any point in administrative, criminal or civil proceedings, although that right is...
to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that it "was not knowing and intelligent and therefore was in violation of his constitutional rights." The motion was ultimately denied, upholding the initial guilty plea.
Following the ruling, Craig announced that despite his previous statements to the contrary, he would serve out his Senate term. He stated that he intended to "continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate." Craig did not seek reelection in 2008 and left office on January 3, 2009.
Both the 2009 documentary Outrage and the magazine Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
(June 7, 2010 issue) listed Craig, among others, as a prominent conservative politician who had a record of anti-gay legislation and then was caught in a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
sex scandal.
Post-Senate
After his retirement, Craig opened the consulting firm New West Strategies with his former chief of staff, Mike Ware, focusing on energy issues.{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Senate elections in Idaho (Class II): Results 1990–2002
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1990
|
| |Ron J. Twilegar
Ron J. Twilegar
Ron J. Twilegar is the county prosecutor in Boise County, Idaho. Twilegar was the 1990 Democratic nominee for the open United States Senate seat in Idaho vacated by Jim McClure...
| align="right" |122,295
| |38.7%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |193,641
| |61.3%
|-
|1996
United States Senate election in Idaho, 1996
The 1996 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 4, 1996. Incumbent Larry Craig won re-election against Democrat Walt Minnick.-Candidates:*Walt Minnick, businessman and Nixon Administration official-Results:-Results:...
|
| |Walt Minnick
Walt Minnick
Walter Clifford "Walt" Minnick is the former U.S. House of Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
| align="right" |198,422
| |39.9%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |283,532
| |57.0%
|
| |Mary J. Charbonneau
| |Independent
| align="right" |10,137
| align="right" |2.0%
|
| |Susan Vegors
| |Natural Law
| align="right" |5,142
| align="right" |1.0%
|
|-
|2002
United States Senate election in Idaho, 2002
The 2002 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 4, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Larry Craig won re-election to a third term.-Results:-Results:-Results:-Candidates:...
|
| |Alan Blinken
Alan Blinken
Alan John Blinken was the 2002 Democratic nominee for United States Senate in Idaho. He was defeated by the Republican incumbent, Larry Craig. Previously, as a resident of New York City in 1990, Blinken ran for the New York State Assembly in Manhattan, but lost to Republican John Ravitz.Blinken...
| align="right" |132,975
| |32.5%
|
| |Larry Craig
| align="right" |266,215
| |65.2%
|
| |Donovan Bramwell
| |Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
| align="right" |9,354
| align="right" |2.3%
|
1988 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 65.7%
|-
|Jeanne Givens (D) 34.3%
|}
1984 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 68.6%
|-
|Bill Heller (D) 31.4%
|}
1982 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) (inc.) 53.6%
|-
|Larry LaRocco
Larry LaRocco
Larry LaRocco is a Democratic politician from the US state of Idaho, who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. LaRocco was defeated by Republican Jim Risch for the open U.S. Senate seat in Idaho in 2008....
(D) 46.4%
|}
1980 Idaho 1st District United States Congressional Election
{|
|Larry Craig (R) 53.7%
|-
|Glenn W. Nichols (D) 46.3%
|}
Further reading
External links
- Article about the Larry Craig scandal on Time.com
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Larry Craig profile
- Idaho Statesman study of Craig
- The Smoking Gun — Minnesota v. Larry Edwin Craig, Case No. 07043231, Police interview (audio and transcript), police report, criminal complaint and plea agreement
- State of Minnesota v. Larry Edwin Craig, Case No. 070403231, U.S. District Court (4th Dist., Hennepin County, MN) (Adobe Acrobat Reader required for viewing all documents)