Anthony Weiner: The Scandal and Resignation of a U.S. Congressman
In May 2011, the political landscape was shaken by a series of revelations involving U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner. What began as a single social media post quickly spiraled into a national scandal known as Weinergate, characterized by public denials, explicit imagery, and an eventual resignation from office.
The Initial Incident and Denial
On May 27, 2011, Anthony Weiner used his public Twitter account to share a link to a photo hosted on yfrog. The image, which depicted the Congressman's erect penis concealed by boxer briefs, was sent to a 21-year-old college student from Seattle, Washington. Although the link was deleted shortly after it was posted, screenshots of the message and the photo were captured by a user named Dan Wolfe and provided to blogger Andrew Breitbart, who published them on the BigGovernment website the following day.
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Initially, Weiner denied the allegations. During a series of interviews on June 1, 2011, he suggested that his accounts had been hacked by a political opponent. While he admitted he could not say with absolute certainty that the photo was not of him, he proposed that the image might have been doctored. Rather than seeking an investigation from the FBI or U.S. Capitol Police, Weiner hired a private security firm, maintaining that the incident was a prank rather than a crime.
Allegations of Targeted Monitoring
As the story developed, evidence emerged that a group of conservatives had been monitoring Weiner's communications with women for several months. This included the creation of fake identities of underage girls to solicit contact. In early June, reports surfaced regarding a 17-year-old girl from Delaware who had communicated with Weiner. While police reviewed her computer and questioned her parents, they ultimately found nothing illegal or inappropriate in the communications, and the girl's family stated the contact was not salacious.
The Admission of Misconduct
The narrative shifted on June 6, 2011, when Breitbart published a shirtless photo of Weiner provided by another woman, claiming more sexually graphic images existed. Facing mounting evidence, Weiner held a press conference in New York where he admitted, "the picture was of me, and I sent it."
During this apology, Weiner confessed to engaging in inappropriate conversations via Twitter, Facebook, email, and telephone with approximately six women over a three-year period. He clarified that he had never met these women in person or had physical relationships with them, describing his actions as "very dumb" and a result of "terrible judgment." He also specifically apologized to Andrew Breitbart.
Personal and Professional Fallout
At the time, Weiner stated he had the support of his wife, Huma Abedin, a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton. The couple had married in July 2010 in a ceremony officiated by Bill Clinton. The press noted the irony of Weiner's emotional apology to the former president given the nature of the scandal. Additionally, Weiner neither confirmed nor denied allegations of phone sex with a woman in Nevada, citing a desire to protect the privacy of the women involved.
Escalation and Public Exposure
The scandal intensified on June 8, 2011, during a SiriusXM radio appearance. Andrew Breitbart showed a photo of Weiner's nude genitalia to hosts Opie and Anthony; the image was subsequently leaked to Twitter via a camera in the room. While Breitbart claimed the leak was illicit, Weiner's spokesperson acknowledged that the Congressman had sent explicit photos.
Further details emerged regarding other contacts, including 40-year-old blackjack dealer Lisa Weiss and 28-year-old adult film actress Ginger Lee. Lee later held a press conference stating that Weiner had advised her on June 2 to remain quiet so that the scandal would dissipate.
Political Reaction and Public Opinion
The political response was swift. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called for a House Ethics Committee investigation to see if official resources were misused. Numerous Democratic and Republican leaders, including RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, called for his resignation. By June 11, Pelosi, DCCC Chair Steve Israel, and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz had joined the calls for him to step down.
Public opinion in New York City was divided. Early polls showed a split, with some residents believing he should stay and others wanting him to resign. A NY1-Marist poll of registered voters in his district found that 56% wanted him to remain in office, though 73% viewed his actions as unethical.
| Date | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2011 | Explicit photo link posted to Twitter | Screenshots leaked to Andrew Breitbart |
| June 1, 2011 | Initial public denial | Claimed hacking/doctored images |
| June 6, 2011 | Public admission | Confessed to sexting ~6 women over 3 years |
| June 16, 2011 | Resignation announcement | Announced departure from Congress |
| Sept 13, 2011 | Special Election | Republican Bob Turner won the vacant seat |
Key Facts
- The Trigger: A photo of Weiner in boxer briefs sent via a yfrog link on Twitter.
- The Admission: Weiner admitted to exchanging explicit messages and photos with about six women over three years.
- The Resignation: Weiner formally resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives on June 20, 2011.
- The Aftermath: In the subsequent special election, Republican Bob Turner defeated Democrat David Weprin to fill the seat.
- Presidential View: President Barack Obama stated in an interview that if he were in Weiner's position, he would resign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Anthony Weiner ever meet the women he messaged?
No. During his press conference, Weiner stated that he had never met or had a physical relationship with any of the women with whom he exchanged explicit messages.
Who first published the evidence of the photo?
The screenshots of the original Twitter message and the photo were published by blogger Andrew Breitbart on his website, BigGovernment.
Did the police find evidence of illegal activity with the underage girl?
No. Police reviewed the computer of the 17-year-old girl from Delaware and found nothing wrong in the communications between her and Representative Weiner.
What was the political result of Weiner's resignation?
The vacancy led to a special election on September 13, 2011, which was won by Republican businessman Bob Turner, defeating Democratic candidate David Weprin.
How did the White House respond to the scandal?
White House spokesman Jay Carney called the behavior and dishonesty "inappropriate," and President Barack Obama later remarked that he would have resigned if he were in Weiner's position.