Idaho Examiner: It’s time for Larry Craig to Resign"Common Sense News"

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Columns

It’s time for Larry Craig to Resign

Posted on: December 05, 2007

By Mike Adams

Sen. Larry Craig has every right to fight his conviction in Minnesota and to clear his good name, but he should do it on his own time and allow Idaho to begin with a new senator, writes Mike Adams.

This is not an easy article for me to write. I have pondered this for some time, and for some time I have neglected to say what needed to be said:

It’s time for Sen. Larry Craig to resign.

I have known Craig for nearly 40 years. I knew him from our Young Republican days. I watched him grow in political stature as he served in the Idaho Legislature and then in Congress. For years, I served on his Regional Advisory Committee for Southeast Idaho. No one can deny that Craig has done much good for Idaho, but his continuing problems have now made him ineffective in Washington.

Craig may have been wrong to plead guilty to the Minnesota incident. Craig was right, however, when he announced that he was going to fight those charges and that Idaho needed a full-time senator who can fight our battles in DC. He was wrong — very wrong to go back on his pledge to resign.

A state the size of Idaho desperately needs to have clout in Washington. Idaho needs to have two senators who have worked up the ladder of seniority, and can deliver strong representation for Idaho citizens. Until August of this year, Craig could do just that.

As things now stand, Craig is all but banished to the back row of the Senate.

Should Craig fight his case in court? Absolutely. Should Craig fight for his name? Absolutely. Should Craig resign so that Idaho can be 100 percent represented in the Senate? Absolutely.
Craig’s problems are not about his life style. That is not the question. His honesty to his constituents certainly is.

I have been active in Republican politics for years. I now call on my fellow Republicans to stand up for the things we say we stand for. What I ask is not easy, but taking the easy road is not what is best for Idaho.

In the past few weeks, we have read story after story of senators who have announced they will not run for re-election in 2008. In 2009 we will see many new senators sworn into office.

With Craig’s refusal to step down, Idaho’s new senator will be right at the bottom with these new senators — and right at the bottom in seniority.

If Craig would do what he should, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter could appoint a new senator — one who would have 13 months of seniority over all the new senators.

It is not hard to see that Craig could make his last senatorial decision his most important for Idaho — his resignation.
Sen. Craig: Do what is right and resign. Do it for Idaho.

Adams can be reached at: AdamsGroup@cableone.net