Should Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) resign? I’m sure you’ve all heard by now how he was arrested awhile back in an airport bathroom in Minneapolis for soliciting sex from an undercover cop, how he plead guilty to a “lesser charge” without consulting his staff, his family, or his lawyer, and how he now wants to take back that plea because he says he did nothing wrong–all the while repeating over and over again that he is not gay (and yes, he does find something wrong with that). All of this led to his being fire as co-chair of the Romney campaign, and calls from newspapers and fellow Senators (including John McCain) that he resign his Senate seat. But is this the kind of thing that necessitates resignation from the Senate?
Let’s start by thinking about the US Senate like any other job. Imagine that your friend plead guilty to a crime. In my mind, that would only necessitate his firing in one of two cases: the aftermath interfered with his ability to do the job, or the nature of the crime cast doubt on his trustworthiness or integrity as it relates to his job. So, do either of these apply to Senator Craig?

Recent Comments