September 17, 2007
Craig’s Still a Schmuck, But Sting Op Wrong
Reports 365Gay.com:
The American Civil Liberties Union says that Sen. Larry Craig should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea because “the secret sting operation used to arrest him was likely unconstitutional.”The ACLU submitted a friend-of-the-court brief to a Minnesota District Court on Monday urging it to allow Craig to withdraw the guilty plea.
. . .
When free speech rights come into play, police enforcement actions must be “carefully crafted” so that they don’t unnecessarily ensnare people who are engaging in constitutionally protected speech, the brief states.
The secret sting operation used by the police to arrest Senator Craig was not “carefully crafted” to avoid ensnaring innocent speech, said the ACLU.
. . .
“Senator Craig has not always been a great friend of civil liberties, but you shouldn’t have to endorse the civil liberties of others to keep your own…
“Government should make public restrooms safe for all, but it should do so in a manner that is really designed to stop inappropriate behavior, rather than destroying the lives of people who might have no intention of doing anything illegal.”
Stings suck (can you say “entrapment?”), but we’re more concerned about airport cops focusing on dirty old (water-)closet cases, when they should be looking for — what are they called again? — oh, yeah… terrorists. We also have no love for Larry, that right-wing, gay-bashing hypocrite, but we’re having a very difficult time understanding how a stupid old putz in a men’s room warrants more attention than looking for people who might present a real threat to airport security.
Filed under: Law Enforcement, Republican Sexcapades
