Eight men claim they had sexual encounters with Craig

BOISE, Idaho -- Eight men say they either had sex with Sen. Larry Craig or were targets of sexual advances by the Idaho Republican at various times during his political career, a newspaper reported Sunday.

One of the men is the former escort whose allegations disgraced the Rev. Ted Haggard, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Idaho Statesman reported.

The newspaper identified four men and reported details of the encounters they say involved Craig. It also reported the accounts of four other men who did not agree to be identified but who described sexual advances or encounters involving the conservative Republican.

Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after being accused by an undercover officer of soliciting sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and later called a news conference to deny that he is gay.

The newspaper acknowledged that its report was not based on definitive evidence. However, it said its investigation, including a review of travel and property records and background checks, found no evidence to disprove the accounts of the four identified men.

Craig and members of his staff declined to comment to the newspaper.

But in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Sunday, the senator said the newspaper's report was "completely false" and he accused the paper of careless journalism.

"It is unfortunate that the Idaho Statesman has chosen to continue to lower itself to the standards of what can best be described as tabloid journalism," Craig said in the statement.