Author: Sylvia Burley
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) announced at a press conference Thursday that he is resigning from Congress, making him the first congressman to lose his career because of indiscretions on Twitter. He may also be one of the few politicians to lose his job over a sex scandal where no actual sex was involved.
Weiner, who mistakenly tweeted a photo of his underwear-clad erection last month and then lied to cover it up, had been under increasing pressure to quit as one embarrassing revelation after another was exposed (pun intended).
Most of the House leadership had already called for his resignation, and President Obama made a similar suggestion in an interview Tuesday.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) issued the following statement on Weiner’s expected resignation:
“There is life after Congress for Anthony Weiner and I hope he devotes himself to repairing the damage he caused to his personal life.”
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had been among those calling for Weiner to leave, declined to discuss him at her weekly news conference.
“If you’re here to ask questions about Congressman Weiner, I won’t be answering any,” Pelosi said.
“At least the nightmare is over,” one source close to Weiner said.
Another told The Huffington Post that Weiner called Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) Wednesday, informing him of his plans.
According to unnamed sources, the call to Israel came the day Weiner’s pregnant wife, Huma Abedin, got home.
“Wife comes home and he picks ‘us’ over ‘me’ –- but I’d take away his belt and his shoelaces, just in case,” said Baruch College political scientist Doug Muzzio.
Hmmm, I’d take away HER gun.
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