The ACLU Hearts Larry Craig
On Monday, the ACLU filed a brief in support of Larry Craig's motion to withdraw his guilty plea in the Great Public Toilet Caper of 2007. Bruce Reed summarizes:
The ACLU brief is chock full of new, convincing arguments that Craig got a bum rap. For starters, toe-tapping isn't a crime—it's free speech. The ACLU says the only thing that's "overbroad" in this case is Minnesota law. It's not a crime in a public place to solicit private sex. Unless the arresting officer is a foot-reader, he has no way of knowing the senator's intent and no right to discourage public-private partnerships.
Read the whole thing here [PDF].
In face, Larry Craig seems to have brought a new era of peace and harmony–a report from the Justice Department sides with Craig (in theory) as well:
Even the Bush Administration Agrees: The Cops Set Him Up—and He's Not Gay! A blockbuster report from the COPS Office of the Bush Justice Department backs up Sen. Craig's entire story. The report, Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places, evaluates 19 different methods of policing public sex. Minneapolis's approach—"using undercover decoys"—ranks dead last, along with "harassing and intimidating suspects." According to the distinguished criminologist who wrote the report, decoys have "limited effectiveness," while "the social consequences may be devastating," and "officers may be reluctant to take on such assignments."
Isn't it nice to see everyone coming together for a little libertarian love?