The Other McCain

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Anthony Weiner Press Conference UPDATE: Admits Trying to Send DM UPDATE: Weiner Will Not Resign UPDATE: VIDEO ADDED
UPDATE: Dems Call for Ethics Probe

Posted on | June 6, 2011 | 108 Comments

UPDATE 6:55 p.m. ET: Ace of Spades is getting ready for the Official Ewok Victory Dance Party, and observes:

Bryan Preston thinks he’s already found a lie that’s easily proven. Weiner claimed he used no Congressional resources in his trim-trolling endeavors; but his office is a resource, isn’t it?

I’m now on deadline for The American Spectator. Enjoy the pudding. You earned it. Yub yub.

And by “yub yub,” I mean: Hit the freaking tip jar! I just spent 10 days blogging about a dude Tweeting his junk. That’s got to be worth something, right?

Linked by Stogie at Saberpoint — thanks!

UPDATE 6:27 p.m. ET: One of Weiner’s online girlfriends tells her side of the story at BigGovernment.com.

A 26-year-old single mom and Army veteran, she “liked” one of Weiner’s Facebook videos and soon found herself in online chats with the congressman that became increasingly intimate.

And by “intimate,” I mean creepy and gross.

Linked by Chris Wysocki, Fire Andrea Mitchell, That Mr. G Guy and Piece of Work in Progress — thanks!

UPDATE 6:15 p.m. ET: The wheels on the bus go round and round:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Steve Israel . . . issued a sharp statement attempting to inoculate himself from the scandal:“To remove all remaining doubt about this situation, I agree with Leader Pelosi’s request that the House Ethics Committee use its authority to begin an investigation.”

Remember, the Dems just won Chris Lee’s former seat in NY-26 — Lee resigned after his own online sex scandal — and the WeinerGate scandal threatens to derail whatever momentum they got out of that victory.

On Hardball with Chris Matthews just now, I heard Richard Wolffe say: “The only way to stop this is [for Weiner] to leave the public stage.” In other words, even after Weiner’s confession, the scandal will continue chewing up news cycle after news cycle for days to come. Only Weiner’s resignation can stop the political damage to Democrats.

So with Nancy Pelosi calling for an ethics investigation and the DCCC chairman supporting that investigation, the choice of whether to resign or not may not be Weiner’s to make. He is now politically toxic, without a friend in the world.

UPDATE 6 p.m. ET: Here’s another version of the press conference video from Talking Points Memo:

Notice that liberal TPM titles the video: “Weiner Confesses To Tweeting Controversial Picture.” As in, “Hey, little girl, wanna see my controversy? Heh heh heh.”

Linked by Lisa Graas, Full Metal Patriot and Political Junkie Mom — thanks!

UPDATE 5:45 p.m. ET: Associated Press video:

UPDATE 5:24 p.m. ET: Why did he finally ‘fess up?

The announcement came as ABC News prepared to release an interview with Meagan Broussard, a 26-year-old single mother from Texas who provided dozens of photos, emails, Facebook messages and cell phone call logs that she says chronicle a sexually-charged electronic relationship with Weiner that rapidly-evolved for more than a month, starting on April 20, 2011.

See? He thought he could stonewall and spin as long as it was just him vs. a bunch of right-wing bloggers.

ABC News? Not so much.

UPDATE 5:03 p.m. ET: The Official AOSHQ Victory Dance begins. Comment #12:

That s*** was the BEST PRESS CONFERENCE OF ALL TIME.
OF ALL TIME.

Ace stuck by his guns, insisting that Weiner was guilty as charged, when many others doubted. Where’s the pudding, Ace?

Glenn Beck, by the way, is all smiles today.

Linked by Threedonia and Republican Redefined — thanks!

UPDATE 4:53 p.m. ET: His communications were “inappropriate” but “consensual.” He walks off the stage as someone in the back shouts: “Were you fully erect?”

Linked by Da Tech Guy — thanks!

UPDATE 4:50 p.m. ET: Weiner admits that he had no way of knowing whether any of his online contacts were minors, but says that was not his intent. “I do not see anyhthing I did that violates the rules of the House.” Of the women he contacted: “These were people that I had developed relationships with online.” Says he also misled his congressional staff.

UPDATE 4:46 p.m. ET: His wife “was unhappy and she let me know she was unhappy.” Yeah.

Linked by Fausta Wertz and Gay Patriot — thanks!

UPDATE 4:41 p.m. ET: “I do not believe I did anything here that violates any law or violates my oath of office.” Says he will not “rebut” anything that any of his female accusers say.

UPDATE 4:37 p.m. ET: Says his wife “did not know until this morning that I had lied” about the photo he sent to the Seattle coed. Also: “I apologize to Andrew Breitbart.”

UPDATE 4:33 p.m. ET: “This was a very dumb thing to do . . . It was a destructive thing I did.” He does not deny the possibility that X-rated photos of him exist.

UPDATE 4:31 p.m. ET: “I love my wife very much and we have no intention of splitting up over this.”

UPDATE 4:29 p.m. ET: He says he is NOT resigning.

UPDATE 4:26 p.m. ET: “I’d like to take . . . full responsibility for my actions.” He begins choking up. He ADMITS he meant to send the photo as a DM!

UPDATE 4:20 p.m. ET: It is being reported that Anthony Weiner will not announce his resignation. We are still awaiting the congressman’s appearance at his press conference, which was momentarily . . . well, hacked by Andrew Breitbart.

UPDATE 4:10 p.m. ET: No sign of Weiner yet, but Andrew Breitbart holds forth: “Quite frankly, I’d like an apology . . . for a blame-the-messenger strategy. . . . I’m here for some vindication.”

UPDATE 4:04 p.m. ET: Huh? Andrew Breitbart is at the press conference? Speaking at the podium?

PREVIOUSLY: We are awaiting the announced 4 p.m. start of Rep. Anthony Weiner’s press conference in New York. Will have full coverage as soon as it starts.

Just to remind you: This story was broken by Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com on May 28 and, when I first blogged about it that afternoon, about a dozen blogs were the only outlets covering the story.

And now there’s a press conference in New York. Ace of Spades is hearing rumors that Weiner will not resign. I believe the French word is incroyable.

PREVIOUSLY:


Category: Anthony Weiner, Congress, Democrats, New York, Scandal, Sex

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