Gay Groups Want Craig Probe Halted

Citing Vitter, activists see ‘homophobic’ double standard

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 13, 2007 1:30 PM CST

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Gay Groups Want Craig Probe Halted — Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho is followed by reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington in this Sept. 18, 2007 file photo. Republicans privately acknowledge that their strategy to drive Craig from office backfired, sticking them with an open-ended ethics investigation that will be out of their control as the... (Associated Press)

Prominent gay rights groups are calling on the Senate Ethics Committee to drop its sexual misconduct probe of Larry Craig, calling the panel’s focus on the senator’s case—combined with the lack of focus on David Vitter’s—“hypocrisy tinged by homophobia.” The two groups say Craig has been singled out because his behavior was homosexual, whereas Vitter’s alleged visits to prostitutes were heterosexual, the Hill reports.

The appeal could well have an impact, because committee chair Barbara Boxer answers to California voters. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force says it would also be satisfied by the opening of an investigation into Vitter's actions. (More Larry Craig stories.)

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