Rangel gives support to Weiner

WASHINGTON -- After two weeks of a sexting scandal, Rep. Anthony Weiner finally got a House colleague's public support Friday -- from the congressionally censured Rep. Charles Rangel.

Asked in an impromptu news conference outside New York City Hall if Weiner should resign, the veteran Harlem Democrat told reporters, "Of course not. Not one person has given any reason for resignation."

Rangel had Weiner's support last year when he resisted calls to step down as the House Ethics Committee found him guilty on 11 counts of violating House rules on taxes and other financial matters and Congress voted to censure him.

Asked what he thought of Weiner tweeting lewd photos of himself to female followers, the 80-year-old politician said he didn't understand that "high-tech stuff."

"I know one thing: He wasn't going out with prostitutes. He wasn't going out with little boys. He wasn't going into men's rooms with broad stances," said Rangel, referring to sex scandals involving GOP lawmakers. "All of those things I understand."

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that two New Castle County, Del., police officers talked with a 17-year-old high school junior and her mother at her home Friday afternoon about exchanges she or her classmates might have had with Weiner.

The department confirmed only that an investigation was under way, but gave no details.

Asked about the Fox News story, Weiner spokeswoman Risa Heller said in a statement: "According to Congressman Weiner, his communications with this person were neither explicit nor indecent."

Rangel's backing came on a day in which Weiner, a seven-term Democrat from Forest Hills, worked in his Queens office. He appeared to have dug his heels in for now despite pressure from Republicans and some top Democrats to quit.

"Anthony Weiner will not go easy," said New York political strategist Hank Sheinkopf. "And unless there is a finding of a crime besides adolescent stupidity against him, expect him to run again for Congress."

Weiner faces a House Ethics Committee investigation when he returns to Washington next week.

The three Republicans in sex scandals Rangel cited are Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), who was linked to a prostitution ring; former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who quit after sending sexual emails to teenage boys, and ex-Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who pleaded guilty in a sex sting in a men's bathroom.