Weiner to resign after sexting scandal, source says
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Date: 6/16/2011 7:32:22 AM
Sender: CNN
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Weiner to resign after sexting scandal, source says
Washington (CNN) -- Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York will heed calls from across the political spectrum and resign over a "sexting" scandal that he lied about before admitting his involvement, a Democratic source with knowledge of the congressman＇s plans said Thursday.
Weiner, 46, was considered a possible front-runner to succeed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2013 until the revelation of his online communications, including lewd photos of himself he sent to women he befriended on Facebook and Twitter.
Last year, Weiner married Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton in the White House, Senate and now in the State Department. Former President Bill Clinton officiated at the ceremony, and Abedin is pregnant with the couple＇s first child.
Weiner has been in the spotlight since late May, when a lewd photograph of him became public after it was sent to a woman over the Twitter social networking service.
After initially claiming that his account had been hacked, Weiner eventually admitted that he sent the picture and had engaged in several inappropriate relationships with women he met online.
According to another source, Weiner called fellow New York Rep. Steve Israel on Wednesday to tell him he was going to resign. Israel, who was at a White House picnic for Congress members, then got Weiner on the phone with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who also was at the White House event.
The source said Israel and Pelosi went near a tree on the White House grounds to talk to Weiner in private. Weiner told them that he was resigning, and was very remorseful about what he did to his family and his colleagues, especially for causing such a distraction, the source added.
Weiner also told Israel and Pelosi that he had talked to his wife, who returned Wednesday from an overseas trip with Secretary Clinton.
First elected to the House in 1998 after his political mentor, then-Rep. Chuck Schumer, decided to run for the Senate, Weiner has been a reliable liberal voice for the solidly Democratic 9th District, encompassing parts of Brooklyn and Queens.
Weiner basically ran unopposed in 2006 and 2008 and won by 22 points over his Republican opponent in 2010, easily avoiding the GOP tidal wave that swept over the House.
As a politician, Weiner fully embraced social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, using the platforms to unleash his comedic take on life and politics.
He graduated from the State University of New York Plattsburgh and worked as an aide to Schumer from 1985 to 1991. A year later, he served on the New York City Council.
Throughout his time in office, Weiner has found himself drawn back to New York, the city he calls home. He ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic mayoral primary race in 2005. But most observers now feel the scandal has ruined any chance of his being elected mayor in 2013. |
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