Two aides to Sen. Larry Craig are leaving his staff as of the end of this week, according to Craig’s communications director, Dan Whiting. Chelsey Penrod Hickman, a legislative assistant who worked on Appropriations Committee issues, will take a new job as legislative director for Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas. Michael Freese, an aide who worked on environmental issues, also is leaving for another position. Whiting said the two are the only staffers to leave Craig’s staff since the news broke of the senator’s arrest and guilty plea in a sex solicitation sting. One staff assistant joined the staff of roughly 50 just minutes before Craig met with his staff on Aug. 31st about the news. That staff assistant has since been promoted to scheduler.

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