Pressure increases for Weiner to resignBy the CNN Wire Staff
June 8, 2011
Washington (CNN) -- Fellow Democrats mounted increasing pressure Wednesday for Rep. Anthony Weiner to resign, a day after party leaders turned their backs on the liberal congressman embroiled in a "sexting" scandal.
Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Reps. Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania, Michael Michaud of Maine, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts joined a growing chorus of Democratic voices that have called for Weiner, D-New York, to step down over sexually tinged online communications with several women that he then lied about.
A Democratic legislator familiar with discussions with and about Weiner told CNN that Weiner's colleagues are telling him he should resign "to preserve his own dignity."
The congressman, who spoke on condition of not being identified by name in order to discuss private conversations, said the public call by Schwartz was part of a stepped-up effort to force Weiner out. According to the source, the effort includes private and public calls explicitly telling him it's time to leave Congress.
"There is increased resentment by his colleagues that far from having a press conference where he was going to tell the truth and roll with the flames, the flames are just getting worse and he's dragging us through it," the source said. "We really thought by now, after the press conference, we would be able to talk about the Republicans' Social Security privatization bill and instead we keep talking about Anthony Weiner. And people are getting angrier and more resentful."
A new explicit photograph now published on the Internet, allegedly of Weiner's naked genitals, is the latest example of how the issue was not going away, the Democratic legislator said, adding it was unclear if Weiner would listen.
"I think he is truly conflicted and the people around him are truly conflicted," the source said. "Nobody knows what is going to work."
More public calls for Weiner's resignation are expected, the source added.
Also Wednesday, multiple New York Democratic sources told CNN it is highly likely Weiner's district will be eliminated as part of next year's redistricting process.
Weiner, who is married, admitted earlier this week that he engaged in sexually tinged communications with multiple women and lied about it.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, are expecting their first child. Philippe Reines, a colleague and friend of Abedin, responded "no comment" when asked about the pregnancy report.
Weiner's admission Monday launched calls from Republicans and then an increasing number of Democrats for him to step aside.
"It would be fine with me," Pryor said Wednesday. "I think at this point it would probably be a good thing if he would go ahead and resign."
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http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/08/weiner.scandal/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
