Craig keeps mum
on return to Washington

Sen. Larry Craig has been sending press releases from Idaho commenting on U.S. Senate matters, but his spokesman said Thursday that he may never return to Washington as a lawmaker.

Craig, a 62-year-old Republican, remains in Idaho, said spokesman Sid Smith.

''He doesn't have any plans to go back to D.C. next week,'' Smith said. ''That doesn't mean he won't; just nothing is planned. Everything is still up in the air. We're still debating about whether he'll be returning to the Capitol, at all.''

Craig said two weeks ago he planned to quit on September 30, then indicated there was a slim chance he would try to stay in the U.S. Senate if he's able to undo his August 1 guilty plea to the reduced misdemeanor charges in a bathroom sex sting.

The next hearing in the case is September 26.

Idaho governor C.L. ''Butch'' Otter hasn't named a replacement for Craig, whose staff declined to say when--or if--he would make an official resignation announcement.

''He hasn't decided on a date to make an announcement or if an announcement is necessary,'' Smith said. ''Obviously, we're still planning on resigning.''

Otter has said he'll choose a replacement from a list that includes Atty. Gen. Lawrence Wasden; Lt. Gov. Jim Risch; Republican state senators John McGee and Mike Jorgenson; and former state lawmaker Dane Watkins. (AP)