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<div><tt><font color="#000000">Breaking News<br>
Judge rejects Craig's bid to withdraw guilty plea</font></tt><br>
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<div><tt><font color="#000000">Updated at: 11:10 am</font></tt></div>
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Associated Press<br>
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MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota judge today rejected Idaho Sen. Larry
Craig's bid to withdraw his guilty plea in an airport sex sting, a
major setback in Craig's effort to clear his name and hang on to his
Senate seat.<br>
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"Because the defendant's plea was accurate, voluntary and
intelligent, and because the conviction is supported by the evidence
... the defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied,"
Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter wrote.<br>
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Craig can appeal Porter's ruling, but it wasn't immediately clear
if he would. Telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment from Craig
spokesmen Sid Smith in Boise, and Dan Whiting in Washington, D.C.,
weren't immediately returned.<br>
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When the charges first surfaced, Craig said he would resign by Sept.
30. But he later decided to attempt to reopen his legal case, and said
he would stay at least until he found out whether he could withdraw
his plea.<br>
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Craig has maintained his innocence and said his actions in the airport
bathroom were misconstrued by the airport police officer who arrested
him.<br>
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Craig was arrested June 11 in a bathroom sex sting. The officer said
Craig had looked into his bathroom stall, and tapped his foot and
moved his hand under the divider in a way that suggested he was
looking for a sexual partner.<br>
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Craig denied that in an interview with the officer after his arrest.
But he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on Aug. 8. He later said
he "panicked" in entering his plea, believing that it would keep
the matter quiet. The Idaho Statesman had been holding back an article
on rumors about his sexuality, and Craig said in court papers that he
feared the arrest would trigger the story.</font></tt><br>
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<div><tt><font color="#000000">For updates, visit DNews.com or see
today's edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News</font></tt></div>
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