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Romney Distances Himself From Craig
August 28, 2007
By Ann Sanner
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Romney / Lichfield news ...
 WASHINGTON
- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney distanced himself
Tuesday from one of his top Senate supporters, comparing his actions
to President Clinton's affair with an intern and a former Republican
congressman's overtures to male teenage pages.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, has
pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges stemming from complaints of
lewd conduct in a men's room. Craig held a prominent role with
Romney's presidential campaign, serving as a Senate liaison for the
campaign since February. He resigned from the post.
Craig entered his plea several
weeks after an undercover police officer in the Minneapolis airport
arrested him and issued a complaint that said the three-term senator
had engaged in actions "often used by persons communicating a desire
to engage in sexual conduct."
"Yeah, I think it reminds us of
Mark Foley and Bill Clinton," Romney said on CNBC's "Kudlow &
Company." "I think it reminds us of the fact that people who are
elected to public office continue to disappoint, and they somehow
think that if they vote the right way on issues of significance or
they can speak a good game, that we'll just forgive and forget."
Foley, a Florida Republican,
resigned from Congress on Sept. 29 after being confronted with
improper computer messages he sent to congressional pages.
While Romney said Craig
"disappointed the American people," he didn't call on Craig to
resign from the Senate.
"I haven't seen the allegations
yet, I just heard that there was a guilty plea and he submitted a
resignation as my liaison in the Senate," Romney said.
Romney has also criticized other
fellow Republicans for questionable misdeeds.
Earlier this month, Romney was
asked about the federal investigation of Republican Sen. Ted Stevens
of Alaska and his dealings with a wealthy oil field services
contractor.
"I hope the allegations against him
are not true. We've seen far too many ethical violations by
Republicans," Romney said. "I expect it sometimes across the aisle.
I expect a little on our own side of the aisle. But to see as many
reported violations of Republican conduct have been really
disappointing and we have got to hold ourselves to a higher
standard."
Romney, a former Massachusetts
governor, has suggested stripping the federal pensions from those
convicted of using their office to abuse the public trust.
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