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July 30: Craig and airport officer: A volley of accusations
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The interview started calmly enough.
U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, had just been busted on suspicion of lewd behavior in a restroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and was anxious about making his flight home. Airport police Sgt. Dave Karsnia assured the senator he wasn't going to jail if he just cooperated.
But the 9-minute interview becomes contentious as the senator raised the possibility of entrapment and the sergeant accused Craig of lying when telling his side of the story, according to a transcript of the interview released Thursday. While questioning the senator, Karsnia called the senator's responses embarrassing and disrespectful.
"I'm guess I'm gonna say I'm just disappointed in you sir," Karsnia said. "I expect this from the guy that we get out of the 'hood. I mean, people vote for you."
The arrest happened in June, and Craig pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct this month. At the time of his arrest, the first thing Craig asked Karsnia was, "Am I gonna have to fight you in court?"
When Karsnia told Craig he wasn't going to bring him to jail, the senator accused Karsnia of soliciting him. The officer then read Craig his Miranda rights.
The criminal complaint filed several weeks later against Craig said he sat in a restroom stall adjoining one occupied by Karsnia. There was a tapping and bumping of feet, at which point Craig swiped his hand under the stall divider. Karsnia said these actions signaled a person who wanted to engage in sexual behavior.
In the interview, Craig explained his foot may have bumped Karsnia's foot. Craig then said he wasn't gay and that "I don't do these kinds of things."It doesn't matter. I don't care about your sexual preference or anything like that," Karsnia said.
"I know you don't," Craig responded, "You're out to enforce the law."
Karsnia agreed, and Craig said, "But you shouldn't be out to entrap people either."
The banter heated up as the officer accused Craig of skipping parts of what happened, such as putting his hand under the divider. Craig said he was just reaching down to pick up a piece of paper on the floor.
"Well, you're not being truthful with me, I'm kinda disappointed in you, senator," Karsnia said.
Karsnia, who had been part of an ongoing police effort to stem restroom sex, told Craig that "every person I've had so far has told me the truth."So we'll start over, you're gonna get out of here. You're gonna have to pay a fine and that will be it," the officer said. "OK. I don't call the media, I don't do any of that type of crap."
He allowed Craig to tell his story again. They debated whether Craig had been looking into Karsnia's stall and whether the senator intentionally touched the sergeant's foot. Karsnia reminded Craig that he saw his left hand with a gold wedding ring motion under the stall divider. Craig was adamant it was the right hand.
Karsnia, growing angry at Craig's responses, asked whether he had been successful seeking this type of sex activity in the past. Craig quickly said no.
"It's embarrassing," Karsnia said.
"Well it's embarrassing for both. ... I'm not gonna fight you," Craig said.
Feeling disrespected, Karsnia told Craig, "You're sitting here lying to a police officer." As they talked over each other, Karsnia said, "I know what I'm doing, and I say you put your hand under there. ..."
Craig admitted he put his hand down, but said he would have had to turn sideways for Karsnia to see his left hand.
"I see it happen everyday out here now," Karsnia said. "Unbelievable, unbelievable."
Craig sternly stated he was a respectable man who "didn't do those kind of things," and he repeated he didn't use his left hand.
"I reached down with my right hand like this to pick up a piece of paper," he said.
Karsnia shot back, "Was your gold ring on your right hand at any time today?" Without hesitation, Craig said, "Of course not, try to get it off, look at it."
Again, Karsnia yelled at Craig that he saw his left hand "with my own eyes."All right, you saw something that didn't happen," Craig said softly.
Karsnia mumbled, "embarrassing, embarrassing."No wonder why we're going down the tubes," he said.
The interview was done.
David Chanen • 612-673-4465
David Chanen • dchanen@startribune.com
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