Republicans call for Anthony Weiner to resign

AP Photo/Richard Drew

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Tuesday that Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) should resign in the wake of his admission that he was involved in online relationships with multiple women and initially lied about having mistakenly sent a lewd photo out on his Twitter feed.

Asked if Weiner should step down after a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Louisa, Virginia, Cantor said that "Congressman Weiner and his constituents will make that decision. I certainly don't condone his activity and I think he should resign."

"We've got a lot of serious challenges going on in this country and a lot of work for Congress to do," he added. "The last thing we need is to be immersed in discussion about Congressman Weiner and his Twitter activities."

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, meanwhile, said "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," he continued. "Either Leader Pelosi and DNC Chair Wasserman Schultz believe members of Congress are held to a different set of standards or they believe these actions demand his resignation."

Pelosi, the House minority leader, has called for an Ethics Committee investigation into Weiner's behavior; in a letter to the committee Tuesday, she said an investigation "to determine whether the Rules of the House of Representatives have been violated is warranted." But she, like other Democrats, has not called for a resignation.

Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) said in a statement Tuesday that he "respect[s] Congressman Weiner's honesty and integrity."

"I am aware that there may be calls for his resignation, however, I feel that is a personal matter between the Congressman and his family," he said.

How Anthony Weiner can recover from scandal

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), meanwhile, was far less supportive, telling reporters of Weiner on Tuesday, "I wish there was some way that I could defend him but I can't."

Asked what Reid would say if Weiner called him and asked for advice, Reid quipped, "call somebody else."

Notably silent on the matter has been House Speaker John Boehner, who seems content, at least for now, to let Pelosi and others navigate the politics of the scandal.

Weiner could be forced from the House with a 2/3rds majority expulsion vote, though that seems unlikely. Only five House members have been expelled in the history of the House, three of them for disloyalty after the Civil War.

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14 Photos

Huma Abedin, wife of Anthony Weiner

[vkmo]

He's a puppy. Weiner was preceded by Gov Schwarzenegger who had lot more affairs. But we can go back to Clinton, Kennedy, Roosevelt, Churchill, Mao ZeDong Per http://www.helium.com/items/1636230-biography-mao-tse-tung?page=2 (Mao believed young virgins would increase Mao's longevity. To this end, a long stream of young girls was brought to him..... Lin Biao, one of Mao's supporters and "army chief", provided a virtual harem)

[slatep]

I'mcertain Weiner is not the only one in Congress or the Senate to make a huge mistake.

His misfortune is he got caught.

Let all Republicans or Democrats who have not done something equally foolish or trashy; that the public does not know about; stand up.

NO TAKERS?

SURPRISE.!!

[vannuys]

People should take two things into consideration before they post a comment.

One, consider Newt Gingrich, David Vitter and all those Republicans who went to a gay nightclub in West Hollywood. No one lost their jobs over those scandles, did they?


Voyeur West Hollywood: GOP Spent Funds At Club, March 29, 2010

What about Roy Ashburn? He decided to come out of the closet while being arrested for a DUI. That's number two

Three, since President Clinton survived the Lewinksy matter, Weiner will survive this.

BTW, did we EVER see that blue dress? Not the red dress-THAT was J. Edgar Hoover, yet you were cool about that, right?

[vannuys]

Excuse me, but that was THREE. I originally thought of two, but wound up with three. So sue me.

[catmomtx]

Should Newt Gingrich be a Republican candidate for President given his history?

[jimbom121]

Should he resign: Yes. That being said, its hyprocritical for Repubs to say he should resign when they did not force Jon Ensign or David Vitter to resign,

In their defense, they did force Chris Lee to resign.

[babooph]

I suppose he should go,did the republicans call for L.Craig to go-I do not recall-the boys in the bathroom thing may be ok with them...

[retiredgustav]

I see there are a lot of paid hacks are out there this morning.
Since when is (cyber) flirting a crime.

[bdurant]

I'm sorry Weiner. You've let me down. Time for a divorce. Get out. We're finished. Contact my lawyer. Sincerely (seriously), America

[royalstar05]

How long is it going to be before we find things out about Cantor and Rience? I would bet that Republicans payed that blogger to find trash on the Dem side. Investigations indeed need to be done.

[royalstar05]

They need to investigate on both sides of the smart ass. Learn how to read. They all do it, i think a blonde haired repub from N.Y. just resigned for the same thing.

[Birdman04]

It just goes to show politicians on both sides of the aisle have no morals or honor. How can one ever trust someone who lies with a straight face and then acts like it is no big deal. Lying to the public is a big deal.