ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – In an effort to persuade a three-judge panel to throw out Sen. Larry Craig's guilty plea, his attorney suggested Wednesday that his foot tapping in an airport men's room may have been protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
The Idaho Republican was arrested in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport in June 2007, after an undercover police officer accused him of soliciting sex by using hand signals and tapping his foot in a bathroom stall.
Two months after his arrest, and without consulting a lawyer, Craig later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.
In addition to suggesting that First Amendment may be involved, Craig's lawyer, Billy Martin, also argued before the Minnesota Court of Appeals panel that no one besides the arresting officer saw the hand signals and foot tapping, which would mean no one else was offended by the behavior and, thus, make the disorderly conduct charge invalid.
Martin also suggested that the judge who previously heard Craig's case had mishandled his attempt to have his guilty plea thrown out.
Prosecuting attorney Chris Renz dismissed the idea that Craig's foot tapping was covered by the First Amendment, arguing that no one but the officer in the adjoining stall could have heard the tapping.
In February, the Senate Ethics Committee issued a "letter of admonition" to Craig in connection to the case.
In the letter, the committee accused him of improper conduct and said his actions reflected "discreditably" on the chamber.
The committee also criticized Craig for using more than $200,000 from campaign funds to pay legal fees related to his case and for flashing his Senate business card at the officer who arrested him. The letter said that move could be seen as an improper attempt to receive "special and favorable treatment."
Craig initially said he would resign after the incident was reported in the media but later decided to remain in the Senate and fight to have his guilty plea thrown out. But the three-term senator did not seek re-election this year and will retire when his term ends in January.
From CNN Politics
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Foot tapping is protected:
Not if it's a signal for illegal acts.
This guy thinks we're stupid. His pension should be take away.
Another ‘family values’ republican? LOL
Was Craig wearing $500 shoes?
He's a republican. A closeted gay man (not that there is anything wrong with being gay), who has dragged his family into his sordid sex lief, lied about it and continues to lie about it.
TYPICAL REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY! Never, ever changes.
I thought foot tapping was a moose hunting signal to shoot or is it a signal to shoot a wolf out of a plane?
Could someone double check with Palin?
Just make sure to check her home in Wasila where she charges the tax payers of Alaska to stay in her own house.
THE SCUM BAG WAS TAPING HIS FOOT
AS FOREPLAY TO OTHER TAPPINGS.
larry, just give it up and be YOURSELF!!!
your life will be so much happier and msoother if you just get away from the vile hypocritical republican party, and come OUT of the closet. you're wasting too much energy and life fighting this.
The Idaho republican pervert. One of John McCain's buddies.
FOOT TAPPING at someone else in a public bathroom stall is now covered by the First Amendment??????
America is fast becoming a third-world country!
This just goes to show that most politicians think they are above the law.
This is not news CNN. This has been a horrible day to blog. First you close down all of the posts at one time, and then you put stupid items on the board. So today we've had lipstick, pigs, rent evasions and now foot tapping. Anything else stupid that's going on in politics?
Jeesh, we're fighting two wars, where's the substance?
Hey what a great time for Larry Craig to come back into the public mindset!!
Bizarre? Yes. News? Doubtful.
Funny though!
Another good example of Republicans!!
Obama/Biden '08
I see the arresting officer's name isn't being continuosly dragged through the mud.
Americans who believe in civil liberty (you know innocent until proven guilty)–and that police officers exceed boundaries at times-should send this one a hand signal too.
The First Amendment does not apply to Republicans any longer. We need to bring America together and stop all the disagreements. Vote Obama/Biden 2008. We need a new Constitution of the United States of Obama for a new era of freedom.
Ban all Republicans.
Don't tell me about Larry Craig unless he's going to jail or we're cutting off his pension.
LOL throw him in jail where he belongs. He's digusting
haha...so much for family values candidate. Disgrace to America
and because Jason Bourne is 'terrified' we should be too???
Oh yeah............he was tapping out a morse code...............that's right........a morse code.........um..........'cuz...........um................he needed some toilet paper................right?
Some lawyer he's got.
Abuse of power... tempers, bad days... who knows
what about the fingers slide!? lol!
Ridiculous! Retire already, you old fart. You have lost all credibility and the people you represent deserve better.
After the foot tapping article and the actor Matt predicting the future article, a presidential candidate who thinks he is God might make sense.
NOT!
NoZerObama. I prefer reality, thanks.
For all of you social conservatives out there, I say this:
When Democrats have illicit affairs, they go heterosexual.
When Republicans do it, it is nearly always a gay relationship.
Now there's a platform plank that needs to change, eh?
Proof that the only thing worse than a lawyer is a politician
God help us all
ANOTHER sample of what the Republican's true family values are....next it will be OFF LIMITS!.....
Same old McCain style of Change........no SHAME.
That's right, he said Palin was going to CLEAN Washington up....that means dieing wouldn't be the only reason for his replacement......Out of his own mouth....Washington headline: White House full of replacements by Palin soldiers from Alaska (those that helped her sell the plane on Ebay).
Just what the Founding Fathers wanted to protect.
That's awesome. I'm sorry. I'm no fan of Craig's, but boy when you have a little money... You can really get away with some things.
Don't forget that it's David Vitter watch, day 426.
Ronald Regan was an actor and republicans listened to him for eight years. What does that tell you about their mentality
Foot tapping? Protected by the first amendment? Exactly that the Founding Fathers were probably thinking!
TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES
I am a little concern about the Republican Party. Why does John McCain and Shara Palin keep repeating their conventional speaches? I knew Shara sparked some fire for the republicans, but right now she and John McCain sounds like brokens record. Why do they have to repeat themselve everytime? Could they have the same message dilivered in a diffent style or they are just trying to hypnonize the American people? Be aware.
Good lord. Put this story to bed already.
Larry Craig has no integrity but I find it difficult to understand who was actually harmed by his actions in the bathroom at the Minneapolis airport. I prefer to save my outrage for those who kill, injure, or prey upon others. Blood is harder to wash away than dirt.
I want to say something about the previous story on here...the Matt Damon thing. All of you naysayers talk about him being a Hollywood person with no right to say anything.
WRONG...he is also a voter. And to all you hypocrits, what do you call GOVERNOR Schwarenagger - where did he come from? Siberia - no Hollywood...what about Reagan - ANOTHER ACTOR!!! It appears that the only time you go against a Hollywood sort is when they are from the opposite party.
CNN PLEASE PRINT THIS, IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE
Craig should just announce he is gay and was indeed trying to pick up a dude in the bathroom and save everyone else's time. The man is closet challenged. He knows it, and do everybody else. Boy...denial is a killer.
Iam upset with Sen. Craig for something I found out he did to a bill in the Senate several months ago. But this whole thing in that bathroom is over blown. And a cop that was over zellous. Maybe he was behind on arrests, I don't know. But the big mess seems strange to me. Something is not ringing right with the cops side.
The Republicans are all old too. I don't like the Ad McCain run
on Old Politicans. Isn't that like the kettle calling the pot Black.
LIES, And MORE LIES from the Republicans ads and from
their mouths.
This man is sick.
This man is ridiculous. He is a Republican senator that has disgraced his party and state. Except he's not the first or even the second Republican in the last few years involved in homosexual sex scandals. I am curious as to why the 'in the closet party' doesn't support equal rights for gays. Maybe that would be to obvious? Also why is the 'in the closet party' made up almost entirely of old white men? Are they afraid of the chorizo or chorizo negro?
How much would you like to wager that Olbermann and Rachel Madcow run with non-story this as their lead stories tonight rather than the # of times Obama and Biden have put their feet in their mouths in the last 24 hours.
Shameful that CNN feels compelled to follow suit.
Ok he may be allowed to tap his foot in a bathroom...but what about rubbing his hand under the edge of the stall wall? That's obviously a sign that you want some lovin'.
So foot tapping is protected speech but it's OK to carry out preemptive raids on independent journalists in St Paul before the RNC?
Something is rotten in Minnesota.
LOL...this guy is such a joke
LMAO!! Can't wait to see this case go to the Supreme Court!
Matt Damon:
Matt Damon is an American and he has a right to say what he wants. You may not agree with him, but hey I don't agree with you.
Thanks Matt, once again, you have shown that you're more than a hot hollywood actor, but you are an American with a brain. You are absolutely right, we don't know Sarah, and we won't know her before the election. Unfortunately she is being used as a ploy to get votes for McCain, not to be a serious leader of this great country.
Like John McCain left his wife in the dust, he is leaving the high ideals and principles of this great country in the dust. His campaign slogan says "country first", but what that really means is John McCain first. First he'll become president, and then he'll tell us what we can do with our voices. The ones that will be protesting the numorous wars he will be waging.
Enough already, Larry – it's time to come out of the closet...
Grow a pair!
Craig, please, retreat back into your closet and leave the governing to those who are at least honest with themselves. Barney Frank is openly gay, and his constituents are fine with that. of course, he didn't openly lobby against homosexual behavior for his entire career either, so i guess the hypocrisy has got you in a bind, huh?
Tell me, how is foot tapping "protected speech", unless you admit that you were in fact trying to communicate something to the person in the stall next to you?
Exit, stage right....
AAHHHAHAHAHAHAH!!! This can't be real. So let me guess, so long as no one sees you having sex in a public place, then it's ok? In fact, the act is ok because it's protected under an individuals right to privacy since they took adequate steps to hide while doing it? What a joke! I'm so glad this is coming back to the fore just when the country needs a reminder of another disgusting, hypocritical Republican.
Shhhh...the queen is going to speak tomorrow. She'll be fabulous, she'll smile, wave, and pretend she knows how to run the lower 48, and the rest of her subjects from afar.
Maybe she'll say "I told Congress, thanks but no thanks..." That always works the crowd into a frenzy. Or maybe she'll wrinkle her litttle nose and pretend she really did sell an airplane on EBay. Who knows what she'll do? But whatever she does, after 11 days of ducking and dodging the press (so that her camp could vet her), it won't be nearly enough.
Obama/Biden 08
I will boycott Damon's movies and any product he endorses. i think he is an idiot. He should stay out of politics. He is a clown.
Obama thinks that pigs are women or gays, since the only ones I know using lipstick are women and gay people. How dare he call our woman pigs. He is a terrible person.
He called me and thousands of mid westerners bitter and now he calls woman pigs. I wonder if he is referring to white women or all women?
He is a bully of the worst kind.
Funny, now ol' Larry's a civil rights liberal.
A GOP pervert digging his heels in when he has become the laughing-stock of the country. Go AWAY larry...
Okay, while this is not really news, it is hilarious. Well done, CNN.
I can't believe that the Liberal government arrested an honest Republican for tapping his foot in the bathroom. How low can the Liberals who run our country sink? The Liberals can't win elections fairly, so they make up lies about good Republicans like Senator Craig. It's just impossible for him to be gay. He's married. And only Democrats are gay.
Look I don't have anything against those who are Gay but I would like it if the Republicans wouldn’t have mislead the American people by tell them that they were the most moral people in America. Bush, pretty much won the 2001 election by telling the American people that he was against Gays. How could that be when he has a lot of them work with him in the White House? And I wish the Republicans would stop tell the American people that they are the most moral party. I don't think nether Democrats or Republicans are. The Republicans just need to stop telling Lies.
The Ethics committee accuses Craig of improper behavior but stays silent on Rangel. Go figure.
I wish this lying sleazeball would just go away quietly. But no, he lingers on and on and he'll probably get off. And of course, the arresting cop was a total idiot and had NO idea what he was talking about.
Sen. Craig if you still have a little shame left in the fiber of your body, please stop tamperring with the First Amendment. To many of us Americans this is part of the Constitution and therefore, SACRED. You did something wrong and you admitted it so suffer the consequences of your actions. Or better still just resigned and continue what you want to do.
Find him a Palin of his own to stand next to him and all is forgiven.
He was soliciting homosexual sex No matter how his buddies try to repaint that picture. This another example of Repugs lie,lie,lie
typical republican hypocrite!
Give us a break ... He knows he went in that restroom stall and knew that he was looking for sex with someone from the other stall ... I don't know what kind of sex , butt he definately knew that he was seeking someone in the other stall to be interested in performing some kind of sexual act ... GUILTY , as far as the tapping of the foot and the first ammendment , ballony
Go home pumas, we won this election without you. And take Hillary with you. We don't need angry women in this campaign.
Palin 2012
HA, HA, HA, HA, HA – what a card you are!
Why are we even talking about this? This is such a waste of time for everyone and is so irrelevant.
Need to put Rangel in the next stall. If he comes out rubbing his backside, well....so much for the First Amendment test.
Oh the funniest case of republican hypocrisy has returned. This case was so funny to me, that I seriously considered writing a screenplay about it. (a comedy of errors of course) This was and is the funniest politcal story EVER!!! And it is so obvious that he is so guilty.
Yes foot tapping is protected, but having sex in public is not. Make it last Larry! I need new material
Boy, talk about grasping for anything they can!
Oh CNN ....
With so much you bring up a story about Craig????
Trying to remind people about that he is a Republican??????
NO BIAS HERE
SUCH A STRETCH!!!
I'M LAUGHING SO HARD, SOMEBODY PLEASE PICK ME UP OFF THE FLOOR!!
I hardly think that the fathers of the Constitution and the FIRST Ammendment wanted to protect a guy trying to make Homosexual contact in a bathroom stall( they did not have indoor plumbing back then) at an airport( They did not have planes back then) in Minneapolis. Minnesota ( wasn't a state nor a territory back then). That's the thoughts of this somewhat lieral person. Funny how conservatives find lberal interpretations of the Constitution when they need it.
LMAO @ this guy and LMAO @ Palin and LMAO @ all of her supporters. All these people are useless.
I agree. If the policeman was offended he should have left the room. The first amendment is a very important factor in the case.
There is no way a republican would have acted inappropriately. I think this policeman should be fired and sent to Alaska to kill wolves from airplanes.
To save the moose of course!
Larry, for the sake of your family admit what you did and move on! You're another one of those phony Republicans just like Sarah Palin!
Mr. Craig is small minded.
Yes, that's all the material I have.
Craig should visit Palins church. They have a program by which they pray over you and then you are straight. No I am not kidding.
Then when God destroys the world very soon. Craig will be allowed to be a refugee in Alaska which according to Palins church will be spared by God. See, it's all good now.
I think VP-Elect Palin would be displeased with Mr. Carig's behavior.
And that Senator Obama would merely vote "PRESENT!!!!" if Craig were brought before a joint session to be censured.
Craig's wife looked so pitiful. She looked as if she knew his little secret, and was mortified that she had to stand there in public to support him.
Craig and McCain are two peas in the same pod. It doesn't matter is they lie, it matters if America believes the lie.
Obama/Biden 08
Senator Obama's official position on this:
PRESENT!!!!!!!
So, is leering at the cute young officer's exposed "package" through the crack in the door while rubbing the old woody covered by the Constitution, Republicans!
Republicans are such hypocrites!!!
Is it me, or does he look like a cross between Karl Rove and Dick Cheny?
Obama / Biden '08!
Praetorian:
Innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply, the man plead GUILTY, and is now trying to take it back.
If you want to see how that would work for a normal citizen, try peeing on a building, pleading guilty and then trying to change your mind about it.
Obama's official position on this issue:
PRESENT!!!!!
Life Liberty and the persuit of happiness- the basis of our constitution. I think the real issue here is the where. A public restroom tete e tete are a little too in your face. Picking up the guy, and going elsewhere would have been protected under privacy laws but he never got to go that far.
The real reason for being irate is the man's public stand on homosexuals in general. Why is ti that so many very vocal people are closeted preditors of all sorts? to me, that is the real difference between a Clinton affair and Craigs possible one. Clinton never pulbicly denounced what he did before being caught.
while i think this story should be taken seriously, i find this lawyer entertaining
Certainly, not me, unless it is green and the 1 is followed by multiple zero's
Nice try Craig, but we are not buying it.
Ahhh! Another patriotic [R] taking a principled view of our constitution. It brings tears to the eye.
It seems the hypocrisy of [R] true-believers knows no bounds.
If this 1st Amendment argument flies, terrorists throughout the country will be meeting and tapping away in our bathroom stalls. And FISA will have to be re-written yet again.
Craig should get the McCain/Palin PR team to work for him. They've got lying to the public down to a science.
This just makes me sick..
Funny how most of the scandals that involve Republicans are them doing something that they're so outspoken against.
Dress it up.... the republicans way... still a lie
Former Hillary Supporter Voting 4 McCain/Palin: Ouch! That really hurt. Maybe you could repeat this lame joke another three times under different psuedonyms. BTW, we all know you're a Republican operative.
woman with husbands get tested for hiv or std's, what should be protected is womans rights against cheating husbands.
LAME - You are making a fool of yourself once again. Open the closet door and step out. Your poor family should not be subjected to any more of this foolishness.
Best quote ever.
Oh please. This Senator is just another hypocrite that says one thing for all the country to hear (and, of course, obey) while he goes out and does something else. My God these people really do believe that the rest of the citizens of this great country are lemmings and will follow them off any cliff.
Maybe it's just me, but I think most ultra conservatives just need to step out-of-the-closet and be true to themselves AND quit trying to appear what they are not.
Craig blew it when he pled guilty. He should have just said PRESENT.
When the Republicans were in Minnesota for their convention the men's rooms at the convention hall must have sounded like a Riverdance audition.
Wouldn't he be smarter to just get this behind him as quietly as possible?
When does he report to prison?
I am a liberal who supports Larry Craig's right to cruise for sex in public restrooms.
Craig is such a hypocritical tool.
Hypocrite!
Larry's a LIAR!
TYPICAL REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY! You’re Right!!!
What's really scary is the only reason they won the election 4 years ago is because they made gay marriage an issue, but every time there is a gay affair it's on the republican’s side, Craig, the guy in Florida and the spiritual advisor to Bush. Always the same.....
Come out of the closet already Larry... your not fooling anyone & only making yourself look like a bigger idiot.
Foot tapping might be protected, but soliciting sex is not.
Awkward story...
For all we know, he was just practicing some Broadway dance numbers.
Come out of your closet Larry!
Maybe he's seeing all the absolute crap being spewed by the McCain campaign and thinks people will buy his BS too...
All I can say – HILARIOUS!!!!!!
The good people of Idaho must cringe every time this subject comes up.
He should never have pled guilty...
Just say "PRESENT".... that's how the dems do it
Republicans motto is always, "I didn't do it, honestly."
Craig is a sicko. CNN, don't clutter the board with sicko news from the likes of Larry- I'm tapping at you – Craig.
Obama/Biden 08
He is incredibly arrogant to think he can Red-Tape his way through this. The more tape he pulls, the guiltier he looks. Closet 'Mo for sure.
Just more republicans who think Americans are all stupid.
Say NO MORE to republican rule in 2008! Vote for change! Vote to turn this country around!
Obama/Biden '08!!!
I guess the good people of Idaho didn't vet this one.
Obama/Biden 08
Wow, so the Obamabot Whaaaambulance coerced CNN to cover this non-story to distract everyone from how many times the "chosen one" and "Ol' Foot in His Mouth Biden" ate their words in the last 24 hours?
Shameful.
It would be funny if my tax dollars wasn't going to pay for his pension. Shameful.
Senator Obama's official position on this:
PRESENT!!!!!!!
Compared to McCain, who just didn't show up
He is a republican isn't he. Biggest hypocrite. If you're gay you're gay nothing wrong with that but just admit and stop hiding your face.
Yeah Larry is no different from the rest of the Repugnants. And that's the problem, they just can't see themselves for what they truly are, disgusting. And there are people who want to vote them back into office! Astounding!
McCain Once Blamed Palin's Bridge for the MN Collapse
We now know that the truth is that Slick Sarah Palin supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she "opposed" it.
But did you know that the man responsible for foisting her on America blamed that bridge and Palin's hunger for federal pork for the collapse of the infamous August 2007 I-35 bridge collapse in Minnesota? Well, now you do.
No wonder they're so sensitive about pig comments.
Enough.
VOTE REPUBLICAN and you folks, are on your own. NO BIG
GOVERNMENT! Take your kids out of public schools, and send
them to private schools if you don't like the quality of the education!!!
Obama-Biden 2008 or we are screwed!!!!
I love what Matt Damon said, "Padin terrifies me".
sleezzzzy
If a man pleads guilty,he is "guilty as charged".
Everybody keeps calling Palin a beauty queen! She isn't! She's a runner up. The winner of that pageant supports Obama!
We don't need angry women in this campaign.
Palin 2012
Hahahha!
Obviously you did not watch Palin's snarky, sarcastic, negative speech at the convention. The only thing that woman has going for her is negativitiy and anger
I always find it funny that republicans always cry foul when a republican commits a sexual no-no but when a democrat does something, it's considered fair game. Hypocrites!
Mr. and now Mrs. OBAMA keep talking bout helping and giving the tax cuts to 95 percent of Americans.
This will not help when you remember that the TOP 5 percent of income earners have the MOST influence on the economy.
THINK this is not real reasoning it's fantasy.
How about helping ALL Americans.
Say you will give tax cuts to ALL Americans and you many give me a reason to vote for you.
BTW I am in the bottom quarter of wage earners.
Republicans tend to be corrupt, tell many lies, have that disease called Recallitis, and no matter what they are caught doing they can always put a spin on it....let's get rid of these jokers...VOTE DEMOCRAT come November. Wake up America!
Hey Matt,
Don't think it was the "liberal government" that arrested Sen Craig in Minnesota...It must have been the same cops who arrested all those independent newspersons at the RNC! Just like the cops who busted all the veterans protesting at the RNC in Miami Fl when Nixon was running for Pres.
DISGUSTING. Bathrooms are gross, filthy and not a place to meet someone.
If the Republicans had any ethics, morals or sense they would have forced him out. Instead, they have embraced him.
PATHETIC.
He exercised his right of free speech when he pled guilty. End of story.
Another Hypocrite Liar Republican bites the dust to join the ranks of fellow GOP criminals Duke Cunningham (currently in prison), former speaker Tom DeLay (awaiting trial), child molester Mark Foley, and Palin's fellow crony Senator Ted Stephens.