Pressure mounts for Weiner to resign

After admitting his actions were inappropriate, Congressmember Anthony Weiner now faces an ethics committee investigation and mounting pressure to step down.
Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives Democratic leader, called for an investigation to determine whether any House rules were violated.
The first rule in the House’s code of conduct states a member “shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.”
During Monday’s statement, the congressmember said no government resources – phones, computers, email – were used and no laws were violated – but that may not be enough to save his seat.
Calls have come for Weiner’s resignation – including House Majority leader Eric Cantor, among others in both parties. Weiner has stated he will not step down.
“I think he should resign,” Cantor told NBC 12 in Washington D.C. “I think he should spare us . . . there’s too many other things the people of this country expect Congress to do.”
In a similar situation, a former congressmember from western New York, Chris Lee, resigned after a topless photo he sent a woman on Craig’s List was released. Lee stepped down only hours after the photos were posted on the web site Gawker.
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Weiner found himself in this position following a private tweet of a racy photo that he accidentally tweeted publicly. While he initially denied the allegations claiming he was hacked, after more photos were released by biggovernment.com – including a shirtless picture – Weiner admitted he has had online and telephone relationships with six women over three years.
As the story has progressed, more details about the women involved – which include a porno star and a Las Vegas blackjack dealer. More photos – including an alleged explicit shot of Weiner – have surfaced.
Weiner, who is up for re-election next year and was a potential mayoral candidate said right now he is not worried about elections.
Calling his transgressions a “personal failure” the congressmember said, “If they believe that this is something that means that they don’t want to vote for me, I’m going to work very hard to win back their trust.”
A Marist poll found that while 51 percent of New Yorkers felt he should not resign a majority do not want him to run for the mayor’s seat in 2013. Thirty percent of New Yorkers believe he should step down.