Contrary to some the conservative moment isn’t run by the Hugh Hewitts, or any other so-called “Gate Keepers” who are calling for the head of Senator Larry Craig. Again for a recap, this was a bad arrest and Craig should have gotten a lawyer who would have handled this with a phone call. Point of fact, I performed these type of details and “feelings” and “signs” are not evidence and there is no way this kid should have made this arrest.

Fact is that in many such “sting” operations the “net” doesn’t always pull in the guilty. Sometimes you net people who just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I believe Craig was such a case. One would ask, “Has Hewitt ever visited a public rest room, waited for a stall, got in, possibly tapped his foot?

I laughed when I read the officer’s report because there isn’t anything of evidence except what this kid seemingly read as “gay signs”. So I guess that using a public restroom, waiting for a stall, and tapping your foot while doing your business is “gay”?

My father – now deceased, at times tapped both feet and whistled while in the john. Does that mean he was “flaming gay”?

Going by signs and feelings isn’t the way you make an arrest, you have to have evidence. I’ve called and asked for the departmental guidelines that this officer used in determining “gay conduct”. I’m interested to see just how he arrived at that conclusion. Did he use training, or Google.

Now I’m not trying to assault the the young officer’s character, he was just trying to do his job, but he made a bad arrest and there is no getting around that. Fact is, based on the way he handled it, he should have been reprimanded.

But back to Hewitt and all those who obviously jumped the gun of judgement without weighing the facts. Let me relate something that happened a few years back that illustrates why it’s best to let the whole story be known.

There was a pastor friend of mine – a well known radio pastor with a nationwide broadcast – who was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. “Why the cad!” you say, “Away with him!”

Later however we learned the story of what really happened. It seemed that a year before the arrest the pastor was leaving a gym where he frequently worked out only to discover two individuals – a black man and woman – running away from his car carrying a bag. He was unable to stop them, but thought he got a good look at the woman. He called the police and filed a report and that was about the end of it. They had stolen his wallet, and a very personal piece of jewelry that he though would be better secured in the car while he was in the gym.

About a year later he was driving to that same gym when he spotted who he thought was that very same woman. He immediately thought to call the police but found himself getting angry because of the personal item of jewelry was so important to him and decided that he would confront her. So he turned the car around, parked and got out and walked towards her, only upon reaching her and beginning to ask her a question, he was tackled by two men. He thought “I”m being mugged again”, but it was two undercover cops who informed him that he was under arrest for solicitation of prostitution. He tried explaining what he was there for but they just laughed him off “tell it to the judge!”.

He was cuffed and stuffed in a van and transported, his car towed, and fingerprinted, photographed and booked on the charge and then released after bail was made.

Later – through the advise of his attorney – he plead “No contest” to the charge – a common plea – and was told by the judge that if he kept his nose clean for six months the charges would be dropped. In hindsight he later said he should have fought the charges. But he said, he was embarrassed, humiliated and scared. So he just did what his lawyer said.

However, somehow the story found it’s way into the media and before you knew it his show was being cancelled from many radio stations he was on. He was being called a “hypocrite” and an “apostate” and other assorted labels. After which he decided to devote a broadcast to telling the whole story. However, surprising to him he had an unsolicited guest volunteer to come on the show and speak in his behalf. It turned out to be one of the vice detectives of the police department that busted him.

He first explained that the arrest was in error and should have never occurred. It was just the case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was also the last day of a 30 day, $20,0000 sting operation that had only netted 15 arrests. For those in the business of law enforcement that’s not a successful operation. Again, wrong place at the wrong time talking to the wrong person. The woman was in fact a decoy, not the woman who with an accomplice had broken into his car.

Larry Craig for all the jokes and innuendo has claimed his innocence – although he pled guilty to a lesser charge – and yet self appointed purists like HH want his head on a platter.

Perhaps Hewitt – who claims to be an evangelical Christian – needs to be reminded that “With the judgement you melt out, so shall you be judged”. While we’re at it, this from the Proverbs is applicable as well, “He who makes judgement on a thing without knowing the facts is a fool”.

Perhaps we should get rid of the fools in the party.