Delaware police investigate contact between teen, Rep. Anthony Weiner
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Date: 6/11/2011 7:30:54 AM
Sender: CNN
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Delaware police investigate contact between teen, Rep. Anthony Weiner
(CNN) -- Delaware authorities are investigating contact between a local teen and Rep. Anthony Weiner, who has been under fire after admitting to inappropriate communications with women online.
"Detectives were made aware of alleged contact between Congressman Anthony Weiner and an area teen," New Castle County Police said in a statement. "Detectives have conducted an interview with the teen and she has made no disclosure of criminal activity nor inappropriate contact by the congressman."
Weiner＇s spokeswoman said the interaction with the Delaware teen was not inappropriate.
"According to Congressman Weiner, his communications with this person were neither explicit nor indecent," Risa Heller said in a statement.
Weiner, who is married, admitted earlier this week that he engaged in sexually tinged communications with women and lied about it.
The New York congressman publicly apologized Monday for exchanging "messages and photos of explicit nature with about six women in the last three years." He said he communicated with women through Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and, occasionally, on the phone.
"I don＇t know the exact ages of the women ... at least to the best of my knowledge, they were all adults, and they were engaging in conversations consensually," Weiner said Monday. "All I know is what they published about themselves in social media."
Weiner also said he never met any of the women in person.
Despite mounting pressure from Democratic colleagues to resign over the sexting scandal, Weiner has said he＇s staying in office.
Among other things, the congressman can point to a Marist College poll released Thursday showing that a majority of registered voters in his district -- 56% -- don＇t believe he should step down.
Only 33% believe he should go.
Assuming Weiner stays, the question now becomes whether the House ethics panel will heed Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi＇s call for an investigation. Weiner has said he would welcome an ethics probe.
The code of conduct for members of Congress calls for them to conduct themselves "at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House." However, ethics experts say legislators are rarely, if ever, disciplined for violating that rule alone.
Using government technology such as telephones and computers for his sexting could be another story.
Weiner has said he used his personal BlackBerry and home computer, but added: "I don＇t have the knowledge of every last communication, but I don＇t believe that I used any government resources."
Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, are expecting a child, CNN has learned. |
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