After giving U.S. military veterans
the worst veterans claims lawyer bill
in history, over and above the roar
of objections by veterans and VSO's
alike, it seems like poetic justice
that outgoing Sen. Larry Craig himself
falls prey to an all out criminal
litigation mess partly caused by him
not paying full fees for a lawyer in
his criminal court appearances.

He is but one of a handful of newly
vacated seats at the Senate Veterans
Affairs Committee, and perhaps only
now will veterans have a REAL chance
at reversing and overturning the
Larry Craig Fees For Veterans Lawyers
Act of 2006.

This is a fitting ending to a deceptive
Hack that wrecked the lives of veterans
everywhere by the Fee For Lawyers Act
that Craig almost single handedly put
into power over the screams of opposing
veterans everywhere. Getting rid of this
guy was not a minute too soon, let me
tell ya, and let us all get busy now
in Repealing that ridiculous BARRIER
to veterans getting REAL lawyers for
their disability cases.


Jan 8, 12:18 PM EST



Former Sen. Larry Craig dropping further appeals

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press Writer


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Former Idaho Sen. Larry Craig has reached the end of the road in his effort to reverse his conviction in an airport bathroom sex sting, one of his lawyers said Thursday.

Attorney Tom Kelly said Craig had decided against asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to void the conviction. The decision means the legal wrangling in the case is over.

"We've concluded that the Supreme Court would not accept this for review," Kelly said. "It would be a futile exercise."

Thursday was the 30-day deadline for Craig to ask the high court to review a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision that went against him. The Supreme Court typically grants only about 25 percent to 30 percent of those requests, according to court figures.

The Idaho Republican was arrested June 11, 2007, by an undercover police officer conducting a sting operation against men cruising for sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The senator quietly pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and paid a fine, but changed his mind after word of his arrest later became public.

As his political career disintegrated, Craig insisted he was innocent and that he was not gay. He said the officer had misconstrued his foot-tapping actions in the airport bathroom.

Last month, the Minnesota Court of Appeals rejected Craig's bid to withdraw his guilty plea. It affirmed a lower court decision that his plea was "accurate, voluntary and intelligent" and that it was supported by the evidence.

Craig did not seek re-election in November for the seat he had held for 18 years. He was succeeded Tuesday by political veteran Jim Risch, a Republican former lieutenant governor, governor and state senator.


_____________________________________
End of Associated Press Release