U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner resigns
Posted June 16, 2011 2:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner, once a rising star in the Democratic party shamed by an X-rated Twitter picture scandal, announced his resignation at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
In his brief appearance, he thanked his wife and family while a heckler shouted, “Bye, bye, pervert.”
The 46-year-old politician announced last week that he would be seeking help at an undisclosed treatment facility after he accidentally posted a picture of his crotch on his Twitter feed last month. He’d intended to send the image to the account of a woman in Seattle and initially claimed his account had been hacked.
More photographs emerged and police are investigating private Twitter messages he exchanged with a 17-year-old Delaware girl. Weiner insists there was nothing inappropriate about the conversation.
Weiner initially denied sending the photo, but recanted 10 days ago when he issued a tearful statement of apology, admitting he’d sent inappropriate images to several women. He’s married to Huma Abedin, a highly-regarded top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who’s pregnant with the couple’s first child.
The disgraced New York congressman reportedly called House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and another Democratic party official Wednesday informing them of his intention to quit. On Thursday Pelosi announced Weiner would be speaking to the press, but didn’t elaborate.
On Monday U.S. President Barack Obama said if he were in Weiner’s position he would step down.
With files from the Associated Press.
