Craig might not resign

Spokesman says there's a 'remote chance' he won't quit

By COREY TAULE

ctaule@postregister.com

Craig

Craig's spokesman said a phone call from Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter 'resonated' with Craig.

Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig may not be stepping down after all.

Sidney Smith, a spokesman for Craig, said Tuesday evening that things have changed since Idaho's senior senator announced his "intent to resign from the Senate, effective Sept. 30," at a news conference in Boise on Saturday.

"The situation is kind of fluid now, a little more fluid than it has been in the last few days," Smith said.

Just how fluid is evident in Smith's own words to The Associated Press on Tuesday afternoon at 3:48 p.m.

Smith was quoted as saying, "I suppose there's a remote chance (Craig would not resign) but ... the intent is to resign still and ensure an orderly transition."

Less than two hours later, Smith said Craig's staff is still preparing to depart Sept. 30, but that "it's a little more up in the air now."

Smith said a phone call from Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter late last week resonated with Craig. Specter, Smith said, urged Craig to remain in the Senate and fight for his reputation.

"I think right now Larry is strongly considering taking that alternative," Smith said. "He's a little more open to that, to trying to stay."

Craig pleaded guilty last month to misdemeanor disorderly conduct after being arrested at the Minneapolis airport June 11. He paid $575 in fines and fees and was put on unsupervised probation for one year.

Craig was arrested by a plainclothes officer investigating complaints of lewd conduct in a men's bathroom at the airport.

Craig denied any wrongdoing and said he erred in pleading guilty. He hired Billy Martin, the lawyer who helped Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick cut a plea bargain on dogfighting charges, in hopes of overturning his guilty plea and clearing his name.

Smith said Tuesday that whether Craig resigns effective Sept. 30 or serves out his term depends on two things: clearing his name in Minnesota and the results of a Senate ethics investigation.

"It's kind of a two-pronged sort of deal," Smith said.

Craig's difficulties have made his a household name.

Republican colleagues in the Senate, such as John McCain of Arizona and Norm Coleman of Minnesota, called for his resignation. Senate leadership stripped Craig of his committees. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney erased Craig's name from old news releases.

"I think it reminds us of (disgraced congressman) Mark Foley and Bill Clinton," Romney was quoted as saying. Even the White House expressed disappointment in Craig's arrest and guilty plea.

All of which led to Craig's short, nationally televised speech at the Boise Depot on Saturday.

"I apologize to the people of our great state for being unable to serve out the term to which you have elected me," Craig said. "I hope you understand my decision to step aside."

But while many national Republicans distanced themselves from Craig, that wasn't the case in Idaho. Gov. Butch Otter and Congressman Bill Sali stood behind Craig as he spoke Saturday. So did Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and state GOP chairman Kirk Sullivan.

Otter, who would name Craig's replacement were he to resign, did not know that Craig was reconsidering his decision, spokesman Jon Hanian said Tuesday evening.

"We're working under the assumption from what we heard Saturday," Hanian said.

Hanian said Otter has made no decisions about a potential replacement, though speculation has focused upon Lt. Gov. James Risch.

Nor would Hanian say whether Otter planned to wait until he had Craig's resignation in hand before naming a replacement.

"I don't know the answer to that," Hanian said. "I know he's not really prepared to talk about it."

Craig, or his replacement, would be up for re-election in 2008. Democrat Larry LaRocco and Republican Rex Rammell have already said they plan to run.

Wayne Hoffman, Sali's spokesman, said he didn't know whether Craig had spoken to his boss Tuesday. And Susan Wheeler, spokeswoman for Sen. Mike Crapo, said Craig had not been in contact with their camp Tuesday. Wheeler did say that Crapo plans to "support Craig in whatever decision he makes."