This is going to be an interesting game of chicken.

[rodeodance]

Senators Boxer and Cornyn are Chairs of Senate ethics comm. Wonder what will


be on the docket?----I recall it was Mitch McConnell who made a big deal of this when Craig’s problem first surfaced.



http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/05/398514.aspx

Posted: Friday, October 05, 2007 9:20 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Categories: Congress, Republicans

This is going to be an interesting game of chicken. One of the ways the Senate GOP leadership believed it would be able to push Craig into resigning was by threatening public ethics hearings. Then again, if Craig is going to be stubborn about leaving, then does the Senate GOP leadership really want the distraction of public hearings? Who will call who's bluff?

The Washington Post: "Republicans are powerless to enforce any other internal punishment against Craig until the ethics panel completes its inquiry. They have already stripped him of his senior positions on committees, including the top Republican post on the Veterans Affairs Committee and a top post on an Appropriations Committee panel dealing with Western land issues, but he remains a rank-and-file member of those panels."
……………

……..The Select Committee on Ethics can be contacted at 220 Hart Building, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Telephone: (202) 224 - 2981. Fax: (202) 224 - 7416.


September 25, 2007
………

Democrats
Barbara Boxer, California, Chairman
Mark Pryor, Arkansas
Ken Salazar, Colorado

Republicans
John Cornyn, Texas, Vice Chairman
Pat Roberts, Kansas
Johnny Isakson, Georgia


……….
Sen. Larry Craig to Remain in Senate
Idaho Senator Says He Will Continue to Serve but Not Run for '08 Reelection

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3690596&page=1

……….Senate leaders last month stripped Craig of leadership roles on committee assignments while he remains under investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee. Craig also cited his "seniority and important committee assignments that are valuable to Idaho" as a reason he will remain………..

But by far the harshest words came from Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in remarks many interpreted to be reflective of what Senate GOP Leadership as a whole feels.

"He said that if the judge would reverse his guilty plea he would fight on, if not he would resign from the Senate and remember -- that was going to be effective at the end of September," said Ensign. "He had his day in court, the judge ruled against him, and I'm calling on Senator Craig to keep his word," said Ensign.

"It's the right thing to do for the Senate, it's the right thing to do for his party," Ensign said, adding that he "could not feel more strongly about it. I think it would be a mistake to put the Senate through an Ethics investigation process that potentially could lead to public hearings. It's embarassing for the Senate, it's embarassing for our party."

Asked why a senator should resign for pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, Ensign said, "this is not just an ordinary misdemeanor charge. …the type of behavior that we're talking about here is not exactly something that I think senators should be engaged in." Ensign added that Senate leaders "did not have the authority under our rules" to kick Craig out of the Senate. "We do not have any other options except to refer this to the Ehics Committee." ………..

[Dhalgren]

1. I hope Craig stays in. I want to hear

"Convicted sex-offender, Republican Larry Craig" as often as possible. "Convicted sex-offender, Republican" has such a nice ring to it...