Question about Sen. Craig's arrest

[BushOut06]

Despite what he says, I think it's pretty darn clear what he was doing in that bathroom - soliciting anonymous sex. That said, exactly what crime was committed? As far as I can tell, he didn't expose himself (other than being a fucktard hypocrite). There were no sex acts committed. As far as I can tell, the only thing that occurred were a few "signals" that are generally "understood" by the "anonymous gay sex community" - stuff like tapping feet, hand gestures, etc.

As satisfying as it is to see yet another "family values" rethug exposed as a pervert, is there anything genuinely wrong with what he did? Seems to me, that if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't have pled guilty so quickly.

Maybe there's something I'm missing?

[WinkyDink]

1. I think he didn't want all the evidence NOT printed in family newspapers to be in open court.

[TomInTib]

2. The charge is "disorderly conduct", not "lewdness" or "solicitation".

"Disorderly conduct" is a very broad brush that covers a wide range of offenses and actions.

[madinmaryland]

3. Solicitation of sex in a public place is illegal.

:shrug:

[BushOut06]

6. That just seems wrong

I can understand the creepiness of weird rethug types hanging out in public bathrooms soliciting for sex; but I don't see how it should be a crime. If they are actually having sex in a public place, that would be one thing. If I'm at a nightclub, and I ask a woman if she's interested in going back to my place for sex, would that similarly be considered a crime?

[TahitiNut]

7. So, tapping my foot in a public restroom is now illegal, too?

Is that because someone, somewhere decided that's the 'same' as soliciting sex? What's next?

At what exact point did his actions become solicitous?

[madinmaryland]

8. Yea, Foot tapping is annoying as hell and should be illegal.

Also, so is cellphone talking on the shitter!

Apparently, tapping feet is a "signal" for soliciting sex. :shrug:

Go figure.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. Oh, I don't know.

I'd say that secretly staring at somebody using the bathroom through the gaps between the door at the stall qualifies as disorderly conduct.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

18. Peeping into someone's bathroom stall is sexual stalking. nt

[kirby]

4. Peeping tom

My guess is that since he was staring into a bathroom stall for almost 2 minutes at the undercover officer, he can be considered a peeping tom.

The whole thing seems flimsy to me.

[Rick Myers]

5. Regardless, he pled GUILTY to a lesser charge, to avoid, something...

He's an idiot!

[rocktivity]

9. Here's the best explanation I've come across

Posted by DU-er Torch The Witch:

When guys stand next to each other at urinals...there is no expectation of privacy as they were willing to pee where they could be seen. When you close yourself into a stall to use the toilet, there is a clear expectation of privacy. Peering at someone in a closed stall through the crack is a Peeping Tom activity that invades the privacy of the person who shut themselves into the stall, and therefore is considered lewd behavior...

link

:headbang:
rocknation

[Lucinda]

10. I'm not a big fan of entrapment

regardless who is involved...and judging from what we have heard about the circumstances, I'm pretty certain that Craig thought he was safe...so I have to question what lead to the tap dance to begin with...

I dont care about anyones sexual life as long as it doesnt involve children, animals, or someone forced to participate against their will.

I GET the hypocritcal aspects, I also "get" how hard it can be for some people to live in the lives that they find themselves in. Even Republican people.

I think the whole thing is just as ridiculous as I thought the whole Clinton witch hunt was.

[Bucky]

11. Before the foot tapping, he apparently spent two minutes peeping into the cop's stall

That's what tipped the cop off to the approaching come-on and the reason Craig acted so guilty after "only waving his hand around for some paper he dropped."

[Sarah Ibarruri]

12. As a woman I have to say that bathroom sex with complete strangers is pretty REVOLTING

But what's really horrible about this, is that these people get elected and promote themselves and their party with the family values label, part of which includes hating gays, passing laws against gays, and using gays as their scapegoat.

[tulsakatz]

15. absolutely!!!

you're right.......bathroom sex is pretty reprehensible! I mean, the goal seems to be having sex with someone you've never met before and probably will never meet again. And who knows what kinds of diseases people have who hang out in bathrooms!

It just makes it that much worse when one of these 'family values' people get caught doing something like this!! Excuse me but I think I can decide for myself, which family values to follow....

[mondo joe]

13. Disorderly Conduct. Looking into an occupied stall, and entering the space

with at a minimum his foot.

[tulsakatz]

14. the police report states........

...that he stood outside of the stall door (the one where the officer was) for a couple of minutes. He was looking in the crack at the officer in the stall. He stood out there long enough for the officer to see that he has blue eyes.

And apparently that's an invasion of privacy....not to mention creepy!!

True, he didn't actually expose himself but he clearly had that intent.

It's kind of like those Predator shows that Chris Hanson does. The guys who come to the house don't technically engage in sex, but they have enough evidence to prove that they intended to.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

17. Well, Judge Judy says

if you plead guilty to a crime, you are saying you committed the crime. My guess is that Craig copped a plea to try and keep this all hush-hush---and it backfired. Surely now, if anyone has evidence he had indulged in lewd behavior before, they will come forward. His political career is finished, imho.