ACLU Files Amicus Brief in Support of Larry Craig.....

[KoKo]

ACLU Files Amicus Brief in Support of Larry Craig
By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Sep 17, 2007 at 11:34:15 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)

The ACLU has filed a "friend of court" brief with the Minnesota Court considering Sen. Larry Craig's motion to withdraw his guilty plea over his bathroom sting arrest. You can read the brief here. The ACLU says (press release will be available here later today):

“The real motive behind secret sting operations like the one that resulted in Senator Craig’s arrest is not to stop people from inappropriate activity. It is to make as many arrests as possible – arrests that sometimes unconstitutionally trap innocent people,” said Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. “If the police really want to stop people from having sex in public bathrooms, they should put up a sign banning sex in the restroom and send in a uniformed officer to patrol periodically. That works.”

After noting that Sen. Craig has not always been a friend to civil liberties, the ACLU says that doesn't matter and explains its legal reasoning:

More...

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/9/17/123415/802

[KoKo]

1. BTW....I think ACLU makes an interesting point in this one...

and they are fair about things...and I'm a member.

[Xipe Totec]

3. Let the right wingers make note

that the ACLU has no agenda, except defending the bill of rights.

If that means a scumbag like Larry Craig walks, so be it.

If one jerk gets off scott free, but I get to keep my civil rights, so be it.

Fair trade.

[rpannier]

2. The real question about this is...

Will this make one of shill o'lielly's outrages, or will he ignore it because it's a republikkan they're defending?

[lonestarnot]

4. Heh heh heh.

Go ahead on ACLU. Kick ass!

[GOPisEvil]

5. Mention this, and the ACLU's support of Rush in re: his medical records, see heads go poof.

[Stargleamer]

6. A misplacing of priorities. . .

Larry Craig can defend himself--he's rich enough. It's not to hard to think of others who need help defending their civil liberties a hell of a lot more.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. ABSOLUTELY! nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. With all the absence of rights in this country, they file an amicus for this?

For the right of a male to run his hand along the edge of a public bathroom stall looking to grab someone's @#$%???????????????? For THAT they spend money instead of to fight for our rights back? Oh please. I'd like to know who makes these decisions.

[zbdent]

9. Bet that really burns his buns ...

(maybe that was an unfortunate choice of words ...

[sandnsea]

10. brilliant political move for gays

They get to take on this practice that gays hate, and do it through Larry Craig which will blunt some of the attacks. Also adds another "ACLU defended Larry Craig" to the roster of non-partisan court cases they've taken on.

But I still think they're going to lose and that they are completely wrong. So what if they send cops in and the cop catches people having sex. They'll be arrested. And the ACLU will just come up with some other excuse to defend it.