Paper: 8 Men Claim
Encounters With Craig
8 Men Claim They Had
Sexual Encounters With Sen. Larry Craig,
Idaho Newspaper
Reports
By AP on the Web, Dec
3, 2007
Boise, Idaho -- Eight men say
they either had sex with Sen. Larry Craig or were targets of sexual advances by
the Idaho lawmaker at various times during his political career, a newspaper
reported.
One of the men is the former escort whose allegations disgraced the Rev. Ted
Haggard, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Idaho
Statesman reported Sunday.
The newspaper identified four men and reported details of the encounters they
say involved Craig. It also reported the accounts of four other men who
did not agree to be identified but who described sexual advances or encounters
involving the conservative Republican, who opposes same-sex marriage and has a
strong record against gay rights.
Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after being accused by an undercover
officer of soliciting sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and later called a
news conference to deny that he is gay.
The newspaper acknowledged that its report was not based on definitive evidence
but said it also found no evidence to disprove the accounts of the four
identified men. It said it reviewed the senator's travel records, which
put him where the sex is alleged to have taken place, and did background checks
on those making the allegations.
Craig and members of his staff declined to comment to the newspaper.
But in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Sunday, the senator said
the newspaper's report was "completely false" and he accused the paper of
careless journalism.
"It is unfortunate that the Idaho Statesman has chosen to continue to lower
itself to the standards of what can best be described as tabloid journalism,"
Craig said in the statement.
"Despite the fact the Idaho Statesman has decided to pursue its own agenda and
print these falsehoods without any facts to back them up, I won't let this
paper's attempt to malign my name stop me from continuing my work to serve the
people of Idaho."
The report is the Statesman's latest on allegations about Craig's sexual
background since his June arrest in an airport men's room sex sting operation
was reported in late August.
Statesman Editor Vicki Gowler said the newspaper spent several months checking
the backgrounds and details of the men's stories.
"We believe it's important for you to know what we've learned and to hear the
men's own words," Gowler said.
Two of the identified men and one of the unidentified men told the newspaper
they had sex with Craig.
One of the men identified in the report, Mike Jones, 50, described as a former
male escort, was the focus of the sex scandal involving Haggard, the disgraced
leader of Colorado's New Life Church.
Jones said Craig paid him $200 for sex in late 2004 or early 2005. The
encounter took place at a studio apartment in downtown Denver, Jones said.
Jones told the Statesman that he did not recognize Craig until his arrest made
the news. The newspaper reported that Jones went on the record after Craig
appeared in a television news report in August to address the arrest and his
future in politics.
Jones has written a book about his experience with Haggard and acknowledged to
the Statesman that his allegation about Craig might help sales. A message
left for Jones by The Associated Press through his publisher Sunday evening was
not immediately returned.
Current phone numbers could not be found for the three other men identified in
the Statesman's report.
Amid pressure from top GOP leaders in Washington, Craig announced his intent to
resign from the Senate. He later changed his mind, deciding to finish out
his term, which expires in January 2009. He is also appealing in Minnesota
courts to have his guilty plea overturned.
The undercover police officer who arrested Craig said the senator moved his foot
next to the officer's foot and tapped it in a way that indicated he wanted sex.
He also alleged the senator sent a signal by swiping his hand under the divider
between men's room stalls.
Craig has said the officer misconstrued those motions.
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