Anthony Weiner scandal appears to quiet congressmen on Twitter

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

In the days following the initial reports of Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner's lewd messages on Twitter, there was a noticeable drop in the number of messages members of Congress published on the social networking site, according to a study by the site TweetCongress.

Weiner's troubles started when he accidentally sent a public tweet with a picture of his crotch over the Memorial Day weekend. The following week, May 30 through June 3, questions grew as to whether or not Weiner sent the picture himself, until he admitted doing so the following Monday. Most of Weiner's congressional colleagues refused to comment on case that week -- and it turns out they were quiet on Twitter as well, tweeting 28 percent less than the previous week, the Hill reports.

On June 6, the day Weiner confessed to having "inappropriate" online relationships with various women, there were just 120 Democratic tweets -- about 30 percent less than two Mondays before. Among Republicans, there were 338 tweets, representing an 18 point drop. Check out some graphics here of congressional Twitter activity during the Weiner scandal.

There's no proof that the decline in tweets was related to Weiner's Twitter scandal.

It's clear, however, that as lawmakers integrate social media into their regular communications, they're still grappling with the risks. Of the 535 members of Congress, all but a handful use Twitter, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports, and Weiner certainly isn't the first to flub up on the site. Even when lawmakers deal with controversy unrelated to the Internet, reporters and pundits have learned to track that lawmaker's tweets for developments in a story.

Weiner, usually a prolific tweeter, hasn't tweeted since June 1. After quickly deleting the message that got him into hot water, he continued to use the social media site for a of couple days, while curious Twitter users started "following" him. Before the scandal, Weiner had around 40,000 followers; he now has more than 75,000.

Meanwhile, while many were initially reluctant to comment, a growing number of lawmakers are now calling on Weiner to resign. At least six Democrats in Congress are calling on him to step down, including Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who also announced last night he is donating to charity the $5,000 he received from Weiner's campaign committee.

"His actions have disgraced the Congress," Donnelly said in a statement. "Everyone should be focused on jobs and the economy and his refusal to do the right thing is a distraction."

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19 Photos

Political sex scandals

[oscarproton]

Weiner is the Pee Wee Herman of Twitter.

[pepperwood2]

Rep. Weiner Defiant as Odds Stack Against Him ........ What a sad scenario for America & Our Great Country. It took a district and a village full of idiots & perverts to elect this Clinton clone. Part of the Pelosi most ethical, honest, open, & transparent congress. The heresy is enough to make you puke.

[hsinco-2009]

It amazes me that people are that dumb to think anything sent on the internet is private. It isn't and if you think anything you say or send out that is out in the "cloud" is not going to come back and bite you, are DUMB!

[ickym]

This is about lewd behavior. This country has become morally bankrupt - period. Forget the Ten Commandments, this is a culture where if it feels good, then do it - right out of th 1960's. That was the beginning of the end of America. Young kids are buying POT in grade school, and they are becoming brain dead before they grow up. The enemy will just land in their boats and march through our streets as our POT smoking citizens will be zombies. Young people are having sex like it is a game and then they have abortions which we tax payers pay for. The liberals think this is cool. It is no wonder our bankers and wall street traders are carried away with their greed and money obsessions - they are also brain dead and Maddow wannabes.

But, getting back to these slim bag politicians, they are so caught up in their games of sex and greed, they have have forgot their mission as electees and representatives for the citizens they represent. That is in part the reason why this country is also financially bankrupt. The other reason, is over 90% of our congress are lawyers, and that profession is just plain slime and they wouldn't know how to run a business, or do anything constructive if their lives depended on it. Lawyers ought to be banned from any responsible position - and that includes our President.

[ickym]

By the way, in private industry, if Weiner had done what he now admits to, he would have been walked out of the building, fired, and possibly charged with a crime. The question is, why aren't these sex maniacs in congress treated the same as the rest of us?

Furthermore, after he would be fired for these lude acts, he would have lost all retirement pensions and benefits, i.e., healthcare. In the case of our current congress, it doesn't matter what crime those turkeys commit, they still get huge benefits - which we tax payers pay for. New legislation must be passed, call it the 28th Ammendment, to give the legislature the same or less benefits we tax payers receive.

[cubs247]

This is why congress has such a low approval rating. This is NOT about his personal sex life as some would suggest, it is about his lying to the American People who put him in office, one lie generates even more to cover up for the first one.

[1LonePuma]

Anthony Weiner is not only a representative of the fine state of New York, but has been found to be the new Poster Child for the Democratic Party, bringing to bear his own arrogant self-righteous depravity. This newly discovered prot?g?e declares his proud moment of showing of his privates to be nothing more then that, which we're sure ought to make his mom and wife proud...holding himself back that is--wink wink!

We suspect the Democratic Party will simply dismiss this as before...knowing kids will be kids!

Or, will the Democratic Party regain its respect by dismissing this pervert, as an online sex offender or continue to embrace this never-ending behavior as acceptable?

[jtdev1]

You're just jealous he's got a bigger one than you.


What about that fine senator from Minnesota??? You know, the toe tapper who hangs out in airport men's rooms?

Or that other fine one who just so happens to have his name and number in a call girl's little black book???

the list goes on...

[bilrobi1]

First.This is not just a Democratic issue. I'm sure you are aware that just as many,if not more Republicans have been caught in very similar situations. I just wonder why you would not present things in that light. Also if you have been reading these postings, there is one about a number of Democrats asking he step down. Again it makes your comment look self serving. In addition he did some pretty sick stuff but he never met or as far as I know attempted to meet these woman and they Weren't under age. I think he needs to go and I'm a life long Liberal Democrat. Republicans don't have the market cornered on morality either.

[itsourmoney]

Privacy will not be impossible as new communication technology usage grows.....This could mean that some users could face the possibility of losing their jobs over their personal sexual preferences(within the law). These preferences are not anyone's business and are not to be judged by anyone. Religious based morals (oxymoron?) should not set the bar for what is appropriate.

[JoeMontana44]

Hey, not a bad weiner shot.
My point: Shameful: yes, Stupid: yes, Illegal: no, Immoral: debatable.

[margroks]

Didn't Weiner (you couldn't ask for a better name considering the nature of the scandal) intentionally sext these pix to unwilling recipients? That is the crux of the matter, isn't it? Besides the fact that anyone who uses the net to send anything without understanding that it is all out there forever, for the most part, and can be accessed by almost anyone, which does show you're a moron.