[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/02/14/art.larry.craig.gi.jpg caption=" Senator Larry Craig."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Want to hear an oxymoron? Senate Ethics Committee.
After months of investigating disgraced Senator Larry Craig who was arrested cruising the men's room in the Minneapolis Airport trying to have sex with an undercover cop, the Senate Ethics Committee is out with its response. They wrote Senator Craig a letter.
The committee said the Idaho Senator acted improperly and brought discredit on the Senate. They also said Craig's effort to withdraw his guilty plea after his arrest was an effort to duck the legal consequences of his actions.
The Senate Ethics Committee told Craig they believed he committed the crime to which he pled guilty, and that he entered his guilty plea knowingly.
Senator Craig also used $213,000 of campaign money for legal expenses and public relations in connection with his public toilet trolling arrest. Campaign money, donations made by people so he could run for office. The Senate Ethics committee didn't say there was anything wrong with that but that Craig should have asked their permission first.
Did they censure him? No. Did they ask him to resign? No. Are they going to expel him from the Senate? No. As for Craig, he says he'll "continue to serve the people of Idaho." Which means Larry Craig plans to remain in the United States Senate until his term expires in January.
Of course, when his disgusting behavior, arrest and guilty plea became public, Craig said he would resign at the end of September, but then he changed his mind. This is our government at work
Here’s my question to you: Did the Senate Ethics Committee go far enough with Larry Craig by simply sending him a letter saying he acted improperly?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Warren writes:
Hi, Jack. Well let's see: Congress spends countless time, energy, and taxpayer dollars grilling a baseball player about his alleged use of steroids ten years ago, yet slaps one of its own on the wrist for breaking the law and misusing campaign funds. It's Washington... nothing changes. And we keep electing them.
Andrew from San Ramon, Costa Rica writes:
Jack, This is outrageous! Do our elected officials have no shame? This is a prime example of why Congress' approval rating is well...in the toilet! They should have booted out Craig by his shoelaces! I moved to Costa Rica three years and each day I'm provided with more reasons not to return to the U.S!
James writes:
Craig belongs in jail and so do these idiots on the ethics committee who seem to think it is okay to spend the people’s money in this manner.
Alan writes:
No, they didn't go far enough, but that’s what you get when the rooster watches the hen house. They're all afraid they'll be next.
Charles writes:
He should have been gone a long time ago.
R. writes:
Absolutely not! This is a prime example how the government continues to protect its own. Sen. Craig should've been forced to resign due to his actions. Here is a public official, elected by the people of Idaho to represent them. In turn, he makes a fool of himself by doing something illegal. It shows the lack of respect that he has for the position that he's held and therefore, not deserving of that title any more.
Joanie from Shickshinny, Pennsylvania writes:
I think that they need to take a wider stance on this issue.