A profusely apologetic Rep. Anthony Weiner admitted Monday that he lied last week when he repeatedly denied sending a lewd photograph of his crotch to a young female follower on Twitter. The New York Democrat confessed to a three-year exchange of “message and photos of an explicit nature” with at least six women he met online, but he refused to step down.
“I came here to accept the full responsibility for what I’ve done,” Weiner said at a news conference in New York City, occasionally tearing up. “I am deeply regretting what I’ve done and I’m not resigning.”
But Weiner’s troubles are far from over.
About an hour after his press conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called for a formal House Ethics Committee investigation into Weiner’s actions “to determine whether any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred.”
There are dozens of rules governing the conduct of House members and Weiner could be cited for “actions that reflect poorly on the member, office or House,” which could result in a reprimand, censure or even expulsion.
Weiner said the messages and photos were sent on his personal BlackBerry and home computer and no government equipment was used. He added that the messages and photos may have been sent while he was on the job, “but I don’t believe I did anything here that violates any law or violates my oath to my constituents.”
Weiner, recently married to Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said he talked with his wife about his online relationships, which began before they married and continued afterward, and expects her to stick with him. He said he never had any physical relationships with the women he met online.
Weiner’s very public confession came after several online news sites produced evidence undermining his claim last week that a hacker got into his Twitter account and sent a photo of a man’s underwear-clad crotch to a female college student. That photo depicted someone in gray underwear, and while Weiner said he “could not say with certitude” the photo was not of him, he insisted he didn’t send it.
“The picture was of me and I sent it,” he admitted Monday.
Just hours before Weiner appeared before the media, the website BigGovernment.com produced a photo of a shirtless Weiner sent recently to another of his female Twitter followers along with sexually explicit text messages. BigGovernment’s proprietor, Andrew Breitbart, showed up at Weiner’s press conference and in a bizarre twist took to the podium before the lawmaker arrived, answering questions from the press. Breitbart said he had a very damning X-rated photo of Weiner but is withholding it “to save his family.”
Weiner confirmed that there could be such an explicit image of him circulating.
Weiner’s future political prospects remain uncertain at best and many strategists say he has destroyed any chance of making a serious run for mayor of New York City.
New York Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said Weiner may also have a hard time getting re-elected, particularly if the lines in his district are redrawn to include more orthodox Jews and conservative voters.
“The normal New York City liberalism may not sustain him,” Sheinkopf noted.
