Larry Craig

Larry Craig is best known for his involvement in a scandal in 2007, where he was arrested for lewd conduct in a men's restroom.

Senator

July 20, 1945

Cancer

79

Near Midvale, Idaho

Larry Craig, a former US Senator and congressman from Idaho, is best known for his 2007 arrest for lewd conduct in a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport bathroom, to which he pleaded guilty. Throughout his political career, Craig served on the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, advocating for conservative policies on agriculture, energy, and trade. He also co-sponsored the Federal Marriage Amendment and opposed LGBTQ+ rights, which stirred controversy during his time in office.

Craig began his political journey in the Idaho Senate, where he was elected in 1974 and reelected in 1976 and 1978. He then won an open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980, representing Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. His career, however, was tainted by the 2007 scandal, which led to a guilty plea for a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

Despite the scandal, Craig continued to serve in Congress until his resignation in 2009. He faced allegations of using campaign funds for personal use, specifically for legal expenses related to the airport incident, but the Federal Election Commission cleared him of any wrongdoing.

In summary, Larry Craig’s political career was characterized by his conservative positions on various issues and the scandal that ultimately led to his departure from the Senate.