Washington (CNN) — Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner heeded calls from across the political spectrum by resigning from office today , saying the sexting scandal he first lied about and then admitted caused such a distraction that it was impossible for him to continue his work in Congress.
In a brief statement to reporters interrupted repeatedly by a heckler, the New York congressman apologized “for the personal mistakes I have made and for the embarrassment I have caused” to his neighbors, to his constituents and “particularly to my wife.”
“Unfortunately, the distraction that I have created” made it “impossible” to continue working in Congress, Weiner said.
He was greeted by some cheers when he entered the room at a community center in his home district to make the announcement. One onlooker, however, heckled Weiner by shouting “pervert” and later yelled insulting questions as Weiner spoke. The heckler turned out to be a writer for shock jock Howard Stern who goes by the name Benjy Bronk, and he offered little explanation for why he taunted the congressman.
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Weiner, 46, was considered a possible front-runner to succeed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2013 until the revelation in late May of his online communications, including lewd photos of himself he sent to women he befriended on Facebook and Twitter.
After initially claiming that the first picture to be made public resulted from his account being hacked, Weiner eventually admitted that he sent the picture and had engaged in several inappropriate online relationships with women he contacted through social networking sites.
House colleagues wished Weiner well today while acknowledging his failures.
