Will Anthony Weiner be able to keep his seat?
Andrew Burton
Updated 1:15 p.m. ET
After a week of dodging questions about his online activities, Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner came clean Monday and admitted to cavorting over the phone and through social media with a half dozen women he says he never met.
But he vowed not to step down, even though the transgressions are seemingly more serious than the single photo that caused New York Rep. Chris Lee to resign in February. (Lee abruptly quit after just one shirtless photo emerged and before he lied about it repeatedly.)
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi did an about face, within minutes of his admission calling for the House ethics committee to look into whether Weiner broke any rules of the House of Representatives.
How Anthony Weiner can recover from scandal
Breitbart: Weiner offering limited version of truth
The question now is whether the tearful apology to his wife will be enough to let Weiner continue to represent the citizens of the 9th District of New York in Congress?
Weiner hopes so. But his aspirations to be mayor of New York could be gone.
"I think his chances of running for Mayor are zero. It's pretty simple. He was the frontrunner until two weeks ago" for the 2013 election to replace Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said Chris Smith, a political columnist for New York magazine.
Weiner told reporters on Monday he did not break the rules of the House. But in the same breath he said "this was me doing a dumb thing and doing it repeatedly and then lying about it."
The rules state that members "shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House." It's hard to see how sending photos of your underwear to 40-some thousand followers on Twitter and lying about it reflects creditably on the House.
The ethics panel is not required to take up the case on Pelosi's recommendation, though it is expected to do so. While some form of rebuke is almost a certainty, outright expulsion is unlikely as the House has kicked out just five of its members.
Whether or not there is an ethics investigation, the chairman of the Republican National Committee sought to increase pressure on Weiner by calling for his resignation on Tuesday.
"Congressman Weiner's actions and deception are unacceptable and he should resign. We do not need an investigation to know he lied and acted inappropriately, we need a resignation," RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.
Further complicating Weiner's road ahead is the fact that the New York state population declined in the 2010 Census, leaving the Empire state with two fewer seats in the House of Representatives in 2012.
Lawmakers in Albany could also simply redistrict Weiner out of a job.
Scandal puts Weiner's wife in the spotlight
Video: Anthony Weiner admits he sent Twitter photo
Pictures: Anthony Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin
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THESE WERE U N S O L I C I T E D LEWD PICTURES AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM X RATED.
WELL????????
I sure hope so. All this trouble came about over a standing Weiner in the first place....
http://thetop10.squarespace.com/the-politics-of-it-all/2011/6/7/andrew-breitbart-under-investigation-for-tax-fraud.html
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But then again if you want to be totally fair - shouldn't you be forwarding it to some nosy media person who is in opposition to Breitbart?
+++++++++++++++++++++++=
Not once his wife Huma gets finished chewing his asz.
"let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"
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At the heart of the issue is a number of expenses that Mr. Breitbart claimed on his 2008-2009 Federal Income Tax returns where among other things he had claimed expenses relating to work for 2 New York City sex clubs. During the Period of 2008-2009 Mr. Breitbart claimed $7,294 in work expenses for money spent at The West Side Club and Love, both famous high end sex clubs in the city.
Mr. Breitbart claimed that he expenses were incurred as part of research for an upcoming article for work and were therefor tax deductible.
An IRS agent who wished to remain anonymous said "while there are all sorts of expenses related to work that can be claimed, being tied up and having wax poured on your nipples is a bridge too far." When the IRS was contacted for comment on this story they said "we are not allowed to comment on any ongoing investigations"
Among other expenses under investigation there were a number of questionable items including; anal beads, nipple clamps, various types of lube and a video, Star ******.
Mr. Brietbart contends that all of these expenses are legitimate and are part of an upcoming expose on the New York City underground sex scene. If convicted of the charges Mr. Breitbart faces up to 15 years in prison and $15,000 in fines.
"It is the age old DC story, the people who scream the loudest about morality are always the ones who are secretly doing the most nefarious deeds in some back alley" said an anonymous congressional source.
Where this investigation goes is yet to be seen, but what is clear is that our country faces serious problems, and spending 2 weeks complaining about something a congressman did that most american men have, that broke no laws and hurt no one is something that we simply do not have time for. We have millions of unemployed Americans, a rising debt and all sorts of problems. Perhaps focusing on a Congressman who is guilty of nothing but flirting online is not the best use of our time.