Larry Craig Considers Anti-Bathroom Sting Legislation

This post, written by Pam Spaulding, originally appeared on Pam's House Blend

The nightmare continues for the GOP. Toe-tapping Larry invited Idaho newsman Mark Johnson of KTVB into his home and sat for a 90-minute interview that aired Tuesday. Craig's wife Suzanne dutifully sat by his side as he told his side of the story about the encounter in the Minneapolis airport bathroom that made him a household name for all the wrong reasons. he transcript is up.

I'll give you the money quote from the interview first:

Mark Johnson: We gave folks an opportunity on our website to ask questions - and boy did they submit the questions. Many of them you've answered here tonight. Mark from Boise... not this Mark from Boise - had one that I think you might find interesting. Mark writes "You are accused of a sex crime without physically committing one. Would you support legislation that protects citizens from police entrapment in restrooms and other public places.

Sen. Larry Craig: Mark, I'd have to take a very serious look at that. I've not only heard from Mark - I've heard from a lot of citizens and e-mailers. They've felt they got entrapped, they felt they got profiled. The worst thing in a free society is to have law enforcement profiling people because they look a certain way, therefore they must be. That is just wrong. I've always opposed it - and I'll continue to oppose it. If legislation like that comes along, I'll take a very serious look at it. I'm innocent, I've been through it. It's not a very pleasant experience. It's changed my life, it's changed my family's life, it may have changed the political life in Idaho, I don't know. But, it is the question - a very important one.

So, if someone proposes such legislation to protect citizens from profiling -- doesn't sound like he's ready to take up activist arms and do it himself -- how many of Larry's GOP colleagues do you think are going to co-sign it? A bill that protects busts of people for "looking a certain way" (guess this time he couldn't squeak out "gay") when caught up in a public restroom sex sting? These stings focus almost exclusively on gay men cruising in these public facilities -- an issue right there that probably has Republicans squirming.

Oh my, the gift that keeps on giving... :)

The interview is full of a lot of fluff, but he does recount what he says really happened in the restroom (which differs from or leaves out details in the police report, or even the police interrogation after the arrest [audio | transcript]).

I go to bathrooms to go to bathrooms. I walked in that morning into a sting, that I had no idea I was walking into. I suspect every American, or anyone who wanted to listen or try at all has heard the tape of the interrogation. They know a great deal of the detail that has been told by others. Yes, I walked by the stalls. I looked to see if they were empty, most of them were full, or apparently all of them were full as I recall. I stood back, I waited, I kept looking - finally, one opened up. I walked in, I put my suit case down - I sat down on a bathroom stool.