Weiner steps down amid sexting scandal

Bowing to intense political pressure amid a humiliating sexting scandal, Rep. Anthony Weiner Thursday announced he was resigning from Congress.

In a short statement interrupted by a heckler at a raucous news conference at the Council Center for Senior Citizens in Brooklyn, the Forest Hills Democrat ended a political career as a brash and outspoken seven-term congressman who had set his sights set on becoming New York's mayor.

"I had hoped to be able to continue the work that the citizens of my district elected me to do -- to fight for the middle class and those struggling to make it," Weiner said, standing alone between American flags. "Unfortunately the distraction I have created has made that impossible. So today I am announcing my resignation from Congress."

Some seniors cried out, saying, "No, no, no, don't resign." A Howard Stern show regular, Benjy Bronk, yelled out crude remarks at Weiner.

Recalling his personal and political roots in Brooklyn, Weiner, 46, apologized again to neighbors, constituents "and most importantly my wife," Huma Abedin, 35, who is pregnant with their first child. Abedin did not attend the news conference.

Colleagues called Weiner's sudden downfall "tragic" but also expressed a sense of relief that the nearly three-week-long drama had finally ended.

"This has been a very sad ordeal for all concerned. It's now time to move on," said Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton).

Weiner had faced escalating pressure from Democratic leaders to quit since he tearfully confessed in a June 6 news conference to sending "inappropriate" and "explicit" online messages and photos of himself to six women over three years -- and to lying about it the week before by blaming hackers.

On Saturday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other top Democrats publicly urged him to quit, and President Barack Obama nudged him Monday, saying if he were Weiner he'd resign.

But Weiner put off a decision, taking a two-week leave instead to seek professional treatment as he waited for his wife to return from a trip to Africa with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Pelosi on Monday gave Weiner until Wednesday night -- the day Abedin came home -- to decide. Weiner called Pelosi and others at the White House picnic that night to say he'd quit, a senior Democrat said.

Weiner's mentor, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), never called for his resignation. Weiner started his career as an aide in Schumer's House office.

"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," Schumer said.

Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills), chairman of the Democrats' 2012 House campaign, who called on Weiner to resign, said he learned just how distracting the scandal was when few reporters covered the GOP bid last week to privatize Social Security.

Weiner is the second New York congressman to self-destruct using social media. Upstate Rep. Chris Lee (R-Clarence) quit Feb. 9 after a bare-chested photo he had sent to a woman online became public.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Weiner first mistakenly sent his Twitter list a lewd photo intended for a 21-year-old college student, spawning disclosure of a stream of similar photos of him.

The identities of five women he engaged in sexual banter also emerged, including a former porn star who accused him of urging her to lie about their exchanges. Delaware police even checked into his texts to a 17-year-old high school girl but found nothing indecent.

Weiner's career in politics appears over for now.

"He doesn't have a political future in the foreseeable future," said Rep. Pete King (R-Seaford). "This is so bizarre."