Idaho Statesman: pack it in, Larry

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Aug 30, 2007 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

It is difficult and unpleasant to call on Idaho's senior senator to end a career in public service. We don't do this casually, or unanimously.

However, we cannot abide an elected official who didn't disclose a lewd conduct arrest until the story broke 77 days later -- a lie by omission and a violation of the public trust. We cannot believe Craig can effectively serve Idaho, under the shadow of his guilty plea on a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. We cannot afford, as a state with but four congressional representatives, to have a senator who merely provides fodder for bloggers and late-night talk show hosts.

"What he did, it's hypocritical, but it's not an abuse of his office in the sense that he was taking money for corrupt votes," Frank told the Associated Press.

"I think people should resign when they have clearly done the job in a way that is dishonest."

Frank went on to tell the AP: "It's one thing to say that someone can't be trusted to vote without being corrupt, it's another to say that he can't be trusted to go to the bathroom by himself."

Remember this -- fellow Louisiana adulterer said Vitter shouldn't resign. Bob Livingston, a prime pick for House speaker, had to resign during Bill Clinton's 1998 impeachment hearings after admitting to affairs. He says Vitter should "pick himself up and charge forward." And in a mind-blowing statement, GOP Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said this when asked at the time of Diaper Dave's media frenzy whether Vitter should step down:

I don't know what it is that he has apologized for, and until it's clear that there's some kind of crime that was committed, that was of such a nature that he should resign, it seems to me that talk is a little premature.

Hat tip, PageOneQ and BlogActive.