Craig’s legal woes could hurt immigration effort

Craig’s legal woes could hurt immigration effort
By Eunice Moscoso | Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 10:45 AM

A plan to legalize thousands of illegal immigrant farm workers may have suffered a blow with the recent troubles of Sen. Larry Craig, a key Republican supporter of the legislation.

The Roll Call newspaper reported Monday that Craig pleaded guilty earlier this month to misdemeanor disorderly conduct after he was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom.

In a statement, Craig denied any wrongdoing and said he regretted the guilty plea.

It is unclear what effect the arrest will have on Craig’s career, but it will likely hurt his clout in Congress.

Craig and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., are trying to shore up support for the legislation that would allow agricultural workers to obtain legal status.

The bill — known as AgJobs — was part of a major immigration package that failed in the Senate earlier this year. Feinstein and Craig are hoping to pass AgJobs as a separate bill.

Craig is shown here at a press conference earlier this year with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

To read more about Craig’s legal woes, click here.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... urt_i.html