Larry Craig: It's all the fault of the press

It was nice to wake up on a Monday and have a full laugh-out-loud moment like this. May the jokes start up all over again.

Sen. Larry Craig should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea in a sex sting because he was under extreme stress after being hounded by journalists asking questions about his sexuality, his lawyer argues.

...In particular, Martin cited pressure from Craig's hometown newspaper, the Idaho Statesman, which spent months investigating whether Craig engaged in homosexual encounters.

Craig, who has denied such suggestions and accused the newspaper of conducting a "witch hunt," was so concerned about that investigation, he quickly pleaded guilty when arrested in the bathroom sex sting, Martin said. Craig did not consult with a lawyer or appear in court.

...Craig will also argue in court documents that he cannot have pleaded guilty since what he did was not illegal. The police officer said Craig bumped his foot, then tried to signal him with hand gestures beneath the stall divider.

Craig maintains he inadvertently touched the officer's foot but made no hand gestures. He said he was merely picking up a piece of paper.

W-E-A-K. The newspaper was investigating whether you were a Republican Sexual Hypocrite. I like this whining about witch hunts when there are plenty of those going on under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, investigating patriotic men and women, not for potty cruising/lewd behavior as Craig pled guilty to, but for an accusation or suspicion of being gay. How does it feel, Larry? If his defense is successful -- that the behavior he engaged in (wide stance toe-tapping and "picking up paper" isn't illegal -- then that could lead other bathroom sting cases going bye-bye. That should make the right wing ecstatic! Also, take a look at a piece in today's NYT that discusses Craig's case -- and those of other men caught in stings at the Minnesota airport.