As a friend wrote to me, “Wilderness, wolves and salmon lost a big powerful enemy when Larry Craig resigned today.”
Story in the New York Times. Craig Announces Resignation. By Kate Phillips.
He has resigned, but he will linger in the Senate until the end of September, and folks need to be on guard for midnight riders to legislation designed to be a last minute attack on wildlife, public lands, pollution control, etc.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Ralph,
Do you think his replacement will be just as bad?
I read somewhere that it would be the current Lt. Governor.
Kevin
be careful what you ask for! never say it cant get any worse.
Risch may be just as bad in attitude, but he doesn’t have the power Craig had. Craig was a member and even chairman of a number of committees, including environmental committees. Ralph probably knows his committee participation better than I; but I do know that Craig has given up a lot of power.
I hope this incident reveals to people just how hypocritical politicians are. Romney, his buddy from MA, I believe the first Mormon candidate for President, was quick to push Craig away; likely not for what he did, but for how he handled it. Romney, like most other hard-right Republicans, is a hypocrite. And don’t get me started on Otter…who knows just how close Otter and Craig were…eeewww
Mike’s got it right. Craig’s replacement will lack the 17 or so years of seniority Craig had, and he might not get appointed to the critical committees that deal with public lands, fish and wildlife.
It’s doubtful his replacement would be so hostile to conservation. From among a long series of anti-conservations US Senators and House members from Idaho, Craig has been the worst in terms of his influence.
During his brief stint as governor recently, Jim Risch did quickly shut down that that Eastern Idaho elk shooting farm from which the elk escaped (I’m assuming here that Risch will be named as the replacement, but this is still speculation). That act was pro wildlife and irritated some of the upper Snake River Valley’s far out folks, one of whom may run in the GOP primary for Senator regardless of who gets appointed.
reports are now out that he is reconsidering the decision to resign. Let’s see, isn’t that what the right calls “flip flopping”? “Here’s your hat Larry, what’s your hurry”?
Yes, the extremely unified GOP leadership effort to get Craig to go quietly away might be unraveling.
Craig may not be resigning after all. The Idaho senator intends to clear his name, which leaves open a possibility that he will not leave office. LA Times.
Craig leaves door open to remain in Senate. Senator hopes to clear his name. On Saturday he said his ‘intent’ was to resign Sept. 30. By Erika Bolstad and Gregory Hahn. Idaho Statesman.