House leaders breathe sigh of relief with Anthony Weiner's departure

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

It's been a long three weeks for congressional Democrats while they watched Rep. Anthony Weiner's cyber-sex scandal distract from their message on Medicare and jobs.

Leaders started by saying little when the New York Democrat made the case that he was hacked, but could not be sure if a racy photograph of a man in his underwear was him or not.

There were no calls for Weiner to step down last Monday after he admitted to sending the photo publicly to a Washington State college student over Twitter though Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi did call for an Ethics Committee investigation.

And last Wednesday Rep. Allyson Schwarz, D-Pa., and a handful of other lawmakers called for Weiner's resignation, but most members refrained from getting involved in the scandal after it was revealed that Rep. Weiner's wife Huma is pregnant.

Weiner's reprieve ended, however, over the weekend when Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, followed by Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Democratic Congressional Committee Chair Steve Israel, D-N.Y., put out statements saying that it was time for Weiner to go.

Today, five days later, seven-term Congressman Anthony Weiner finally agreed that his predicament had become a distraction and that he would resign from the House of Representatives. (watch his statement at left)

Weiner had a last message for his colleagues in Congress as he stood before a crowd of reporters announcing his resignation.

"I want to thank my colleagues in the House of Representatives, Democrats and Republicans alike. They come from different places around the country, but fundamentally, we all agree. They're all patriots and I will miss them all," he said.

Not all of his colleagues shared the sentiment.

Pelosi put out a statement shortly after Rep. Weiner's announcement saying "Congressman Weiner exercised poor judgment in his actions and poor judgment in his reaction to the revelations. Today, he made the right judgment in resigning."

And Weiner's colleague from New York, Rep. Nita Lowey, said in a statement that "there is life after Congress for Anthony Weiner and I hope he devotes himself to repairing the damage he caused to his personal life."

But other lawmakers expressed sadness that Rep. Weiner handled things in such a way that he was forced to go.

"It's difficult to watch the self destruction of a friend, and to witness the breaking of hearts over what can only be categorized as reprehensible behavior and bad judgment," said Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson, D-Conn., who refrained from calling for Weiner's resignation.

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., spoke to reporters after learning that Rep. Weiner would resign.

"If he came out straight forward in the very beginning, as reprehensible as his actions and behavior admittedly were, I think that he could have survived this" he said.

Pascrell even questioned the furor that Weiner's actions caused among his colleagues since the issue is a moral one, not legal.

Anthony Weiner announces resignation from Congress
Weiner's wife absent at resignation announcement

He said "what he did is not acceptable under any circumstances, but the point is so far he did not break any law that I know of."

But Rep. Weiner's New York colleague, and regular sparring opponent on the House Floor, Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., told reporters that Weiner made the right choice.

"The fact that he denied them so firmly and so strongly and so much is coming out it would have been impossible for him to serve," said King. "It's one of those things, you reach a tipping point and that had been reached here."

King said that even if Rep. Weiner had come clean immediately, the new revelations of Weiner's online relationships and images resulting from the exchanges would have made it difficult for Weiner to continue serving.

Weiner's longtime Democratic ally, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, said it was a "sad day" in his statement.

"On this sad day, we should not forget that Anthony Weiner was an effective and passionate advocate for the people he represented in Brooklyn and Queens," he said. "He has served his community, city, and country well for over two decades. I wish him, Huma, and his family only the best."

29 Photos

Anthony Weiner

[FreshxWater]

The ABSOLUTE CORRUPTION of the American Corporate Media! RELIEF?

Senator Vitter GOP of Louisiana and ask him if any of the boys and girls he had sex with were minors (child prostitution)? Then the Corporate Media can do a story on Senator Ensign GOP Nevada about his sex with his aides wife, then bribery, then corruption giving blackmail jobs.

Alternative sites are now circulating that Boehner is having sex with someone other than his wife. Not sure if it's a mistress or prostitutes. I'd bet the Corporate Media doesn't assign one reporter to any of the above, two of which the Senators have admitted. How many reporters were assigned to Weiner, 400?

[nottblu]

What does your lame attempt to delflect and misdirect from the fact wiener was an electronic flasher, a perveted sicko, a DEMOCRAT. Is that the only thing you can come up with for a defense, ignore the DEMOCRAT PERVERT and just rail on republicans, you should know that's not a viable argument or strategy, two wrongs do not make a right or justify a wrong.

[cbsnacilbuper]

Weiner should have pulled out earlier. His penetration thrust the democrats into a bad situation. He should now shrink down to a smaller size and perhaps rehabilitate himself for the next erection, I mean election.

[gosstom]

......After seeing Imam Obom, his Sec. of State Lady Bubba and Nancy, the Wicked Witch of the Left, stab Weiner in the back, I'll vote for another Dumbocrat when Hades freezes over.....

[canislupus16]

Really. Republicans on the other hand circle the wagons to protect their own, even when (so many of them) they not only engage in immoral/unethical behavior, but commit crimes, including felonies, to boot. But that doesn't matter to Republicans. Isn't it more than ironic that it's the Republicans who are claiming the high, moral road when so many are immoral on any number of issues.

[TheKnowerseeker]

Standing up for people you *know* are wrong, regardless of their relationship to you, is *not* a virtue. But since you think it is, and since you're a Republican supporter, does that say something about the Republican party?

[robert_holt]

"&for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7.

[parisdakar]

Lose the PO'd look, Weiner. You did it to yourself.

[AOCGUY]

Thank God. Now can Congress get back to addressing REAL issues? What the he11 are we paying these folks for?

I'ts also time to change terms for elected federal officials. Extend terms to a reasonable length and pass a law prohibiting running for re-election. Then require our reps to spend a specific amount of time in Washington doing their job. Fail to spend enough time at work and you are fired. No campaigning, no grandstanding, just work.

And for Congress, failure to send a budget to the WH on time also should be cause for termination.

[TheKnowerseeker]

XYZ! XZY! *Whew!* The Weiner has been put away, folks.

[skeezix06]

Congratulations you got rid of someone who acted like a jerk and avoided addressing real issues such as expansion of war, Main Street America's continued loss of jobs and economic failure.

Do you really think this will make me vote for you?

[formrusmcsgt]

by vpcharan June 16, 2011 10:16 PM EDT
It is a sad day for the word "Fairness".
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You don't think good judgement, or lack thereof, is important in his former capacity, obviously.

[cbsnacilbuper]

Weiner should have pulled out earlier. His penetration thrust the democrats into a bad situation. He should now shrink down to a smaller size and perhaps rehabilitate himself for the next erection, I mean election.