He said he would leave. His party wants him gone. But Larry Craig is insisting upon remaining in the US Senate.

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig defiantly vowed to serve out his term in office on Thursday despite losing a court attempt to rescind his guilty plea in a men's room sex sting.

"I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively," Craig said in a written statement certain to disappoint fellow Republicans who have long urged him to step down.

Craig had earlier announced he would resign his seat by Sept. 30, but had wavered when he went to court in hopes of withdrawing his plea.

The third-term lawmaker issued his statement not long after Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter relayed word he has selected a replacement for Craig in the event of a resignation.

"He is ready to act should we receive a letter of resignation," said Jon Hanian, Otter's spokesman in Boise, in what seemed like a calculated signal that home-state Republicans want Craig to surrender the seat he has held for 17 years.

In his statement, Craig said he will not run for a new term next year.

But in the meantime, he said: "I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee — something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate."

Now I still contend that the charges in Craig's case were legally insufficient -- but that guilty plea made the issue irrelevant and led to the court taking the action it did. And given Craig's announcement of his plans to resign, he ought to go now -- if he really has the contrition he claimed.

And I will point out a stark difference here.

Democrats such as Patrick Kennedy can commit more serious offenses which endanger others and still be embraced by their party. Republicans set a higher bar.

Posted by: Greg at 10:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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