Report: Twitter group warned girls about Weiner

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., reacts during a news conference in New York June 6, 2011.

/ AP Photo

A band of self-described conservatives on Twitter reportedly kept a close watch on which users New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner followed on the microblogging service and even discouraged some "schoolgirls" from forming a relationship with the congressman in the weeks before his admission of engaging in lewd online relationships with six women.

TMZ: Weiner asked porn star pal to lie
Republicans call for Anthony Weiner to resign
New Yorkers say Weiner can survive photo scandal

The New York Times published in its print editions Wednesday an article on the group that operated under the label #bornfreecrew.

The group's leader was the same user who discovered the lewd photo that Weiner mistakenly sent publicly to 21-year-old Seattle college student Gennette Cordova, the Times reports. The user was known as Dan Wolfe, which the Times reports is a false name linked with the now-defunct handle @PatriotUSA76.

Wolfe opened the PatriotUSA76 account Jan. 6 and published messages about Weiner and wife Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Times reported. Soon Wolfe focused on which Twitter feeds Weiner followed.

Pictures: Huma Abedin
Scandal puts Weiner's wife in the spotlight

"Weiner's new follow is a high school girl. LMAO! Freak!" read one post Wolfe published, according to the Times.

The Times talked with a bornfreecrew member who wasn't as discreet about his identity, Michael Stack, a 39-year-old New Jerseyan who uses the Twitter handle @goatsred. Stack said Wolfe once told him in a private message that Weiner followed the updates from adult film actress Ginger Lee.

"He tweeted about it and then the porn star was gone," Stack told the Times before referring to Weiner. "He was paying attention."

Last month, Stack sent a 16-year-old California girl who wanted Weiner to escort her to her prom a message discouraging her from contact with the congressman.

"If you're a minor and he's following you, well, seems a little creepy if not in ny," the message read, according to the Times.

Stack copied Weiner on the message. The girl posted the next day that Weiner unsubscribed from receiving her updates.

[lionfish3126_522]

For one this man is not a sex offender, get it right or shut it...

[jsbabl]

Would love to see one of the 29% people who voted that he should not resign. Left wing liberal loonies!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone will be laughing at this guy. Oh how I would hate to be an Anthony Wiener. That is what I never wanted to beee. However If i were an Anthony Wiener, everyone would be making fun of me......

[marzipansii]

To CBS News - either validate the accuracy of your sources regarding the age of participants of his sexting or pull this POS article as there is a big difference between girls and women.

[erichsh]

Looks like that conservative Twitter group was right all along - just like Breitbart. And Weiner was forced to apologize to Breitbart. That's gotta sting the liberals more than anything else.

[erichsh]

For now, no huma for the weiner (from Huma, that is)

[guest173]

wow, that group was on the ball. I did the same thing to a Registered Sex Offender I found was trolling Facebook and Myspace for a new victim/girlfriend, when facebook and myspace did not delete his account I had to resort to just sending notes to women he was friending and finally a few weeks/months later someone else finally helped get him off there. the internet is too easy to get into real trouble/crime.

[marzipansii]

You need to understand something - Wolfe and Stark have been after Weiner forever. To date there has been no validation of their allegations that anyone he's tweeted is under age and to make that sort of allegation against anyone without solid proof is unconscionable. This man had a good time sexting - that ain't the same thing by any measure.

[anebt]

Was it kosher?

[tmn]

Hebrew National, from what I've read...

[gadfly65]

It's nice that conservatives are having so much fun with this; it's too bad they aren't nearly as vocal when one of their own, such as Ted Haggard, is involved in a sex scandal that's not only inherently more serious but also compounded by hypocritical gay-bashing. At least Weiner isn't using the common evangelical cop-out - "It's not my fault; Satan attacked me because I'm doing the Lord's work!" That said, even this liberal believes it would be appropriate for him to step down.

[gadfly65]

I warned my own daughter about weiner before anyone had ever heard of Twitter. ;)

[tmn]

Hate to say it (as a Democrat), but the more that comes out about this story, the more it appears a political career is over for Weiner. He should give serious consideration to resigning. If he is an attorney, he won't be out of work for long...

[marzipansii]

How did Stark or Wolfe know anything about Weiner before the tweet? Where were they getting their information? I find it odd that Brightbutt said one week before the tweet that he had been contacted by Broussard, she says she only came out so she could "tell her story" then sells her pictures to ABC. That said, has CBS bothered to verify these claims before they post an article making Weiner look like a predator? Weiner did what he did, but those three have some angle playing in this as well. CBS - do your homework or don't post. Please.