Thread: Specter's Sticking His Nose In My Business

Senator Spector has been on tv telling everybody he called Senator Craig and is offering to help him out. Now Craig is thinking about rescinding his resignation. I sent this letter to Specter to let him know he'd better butt out.

Dear Senator Specter:

It’s admirable that you’d like to help out your colleague, Senator Larry Craig, to get him exonerated so he could continue to help you fight against the majority of the American people to get some kind of amnesty passed for the illegal aliens in this country. But as an Idahoan, I would appreciate it if you would stop interfering in Idaho’s business. The people of Idaho have spoken and seventy percent want Senator Craig to resign. Senator Craig had already lost most of his support from the Idaho people when he fought to pass an amnesty bill we were all against, but the clincher came when he tried to win a “get out of jail free passâ€

Very good letter.

It's time for Specter to resign or retire as well. Specter is a good example of someone with a huge ego who thinks he is smarter than he actually is.

Report: Sen. Larry Craig Reconsidering Resignation Decision
By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 07:52:57 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Sen. Larry Craig's spokesman says he may reconsider his resignation decision:

"It's not such a foregone conclusion anymore, that the only thing he could do was resign," said Sidney Smith, Craig's spokesman in Idaho's capital.

"We're still preparing as if Senator Craig will resign Sept. 30, but the outcome of the legal case in Minnesota and the ethics investigation will have an impact on whether we're able to stay in the fight - and stay in the Senate."

If true, I suspect it means Craig's lawyers have advised him he is likely to prevail on a motion to withdraw his plea. The most obvious ground I think is the failure of the mail-in plea form to advise him of his right to counsel. (Plea form is here, pdf)

Update: The Idaho Statesman, which earlier this afternoon quoted a spokesman as saying Craig wasn't reconsidering resigning, now says:

"Basically, as he stated on Saturday, Senator Craig intends to resign on Sept. 30th," said his spokesman Dan Whiting via e-mail Tuesday night. "However, he is fighting these charges, and should he be cleared before then, he may, and I emphasize may, not resign."

Update: The Washington Post reports Craig was influenced by Sen. Specter's phone call to him urging him to fight.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/9/4/205257/9609

To see the actual court document where Craig pled guilty, go to this link.

http://www.talkleft.com/docs/craigguiltyplea.pdf

Thanks, Populist.

Specter needs to go, too. He's a trouble maker and has big business in his pocket.

Very well said, tinybob

Paper Publishes Larry Craig's Voicemail to his Lawyer
By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics

Posted on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 07:52:57 PM EST

Check out the voicemail Sen. Larry Craig left for his lawyer Billy Martin "on a stranger's phone" minutes before his resignation speech. Roll Call obtained the voicemail after it was offered for sale and refused by the Idaho Statesman. McJoan at Daily Kos posts the entire transcript.

This story keeps getting weirder by the hour.

"Yes, Billy, this is Larry Craig calling. You can reach me on my cell. Arlen Specter is now willing to come out in my defense, arguing that it appears by all that he knows that I have been railroaded and all that.

"Having all of that, we have reshaped my statement a little bit to say it is my intent to resign on Sept. 30. I think it is important for you to make as bold a statement as you are comfortable with this afternoon, and I would hope you could make it in front of the cameras.

"I think it would help drive the story that I’m willing to fight, that I’ve got quality people out there fighting in my defense, and that this thing could take a new turn or a new shape, it has that potential. Anyway, give me a buzz or give Mike a buzz on that. We’re headed to my press conference now. "Thank you. Bye."

Dan Whiting, confirms the voice is Craig's. Here's the statement Billy Martin released Saturday. So who did Craig call? Did someone close to Martin sell him out or did he really dial the wrong number? I wonder what the recorded message said on the phone Craig left the voice-mail on. He's not stupid. If it was "Hi, this is John, please leave me a message" he wouldn't have left that message. Something had to indicate to Craig he was calling Billy Martin. No way would Billy Martin have leaked the message. So, who is Roll Call protecting?

http://www.talkleft.com/

Thanks, Faye.

Good find, Citizen. I don't care if Craig wants to wiggle out of the charge against him, but Idaho won't allow him to stay in the Senate, and McConnell is not going to budge, so I'm pretty sure he's history. He's only making it worse for himself by keeping this issue in the limelight, 'cause next week the poll will be 80%. He'd be better off to go sit by a fishing hole for a while.

Craig is a piece of work. I hope the good people of Idaho don't put up with his nonsense and send him the strong message that he must resign.

Please keep us posted on local reaction.

Right now the reaction from Idaho is that he needs to resign. Hopefully he won't soften any hearts. I doubt he will because Idaho is pretty conservative.

As a backup, I just wrote an email to Senator McConnell to let him know that 70% of Idahoans want Craig gone, and to keep on insisting he does just that.

Thanks tinybobidaho.

Here's an article from CQ (published before the latest news) that describes the politics of this. Hopefully the leadership will still push to get rid of him:

CQ TODAY
Sept. 3, 2007 – 8:53 p.m.
Craig’s Departure Means More Rebuilding By Senate GOP
By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff
The departure later this month of Larry E. Craig, R-Idaho, will continue a dramatic reshaping of the GOP Senate caucus.

Senate Republicans began the year under a new leadership team headed by Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Trent Lott, R-Miss., after the retirement of former Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., (1995-2007) and the defeat of six Republicans including former Conference Chairman Rick Santorum, R-Pa. (1995-2007; House, 1991-1995).

Since then, Senate Republicans added another new face: John A. Barrasso, R-Wyo., filled a vacancy left by the June 4 death of Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo.

Idaho’s governor, a Republican, will name a replacement to serve out Craig’s term, so the successor is bound to be a Republican, too.

With Craig’s decision to leave as of Sept. 30, GOP leaders are eager to focus on the future and renew efforts to strengthen their party’s message and revive their campaign to regain control of the Senate in the 2008 election.

Efforts to cut political losses clearly lay at the heart of the behind-the-scenes campaign by McConnell and other top party leaders to force Craig out well before the election.

On Sept. 1, Craig announced that he would do just that.

“I apologize to the people of my great state,â€