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Congressman Weiner Joins Jobless Ranks
He's a 46-year-old with a pregnant wife, and now he's out of work. What are his prospects?
Plenty of Americans find themselves jobless in today's economy, but not many are former congressmen who tweeted themselves out of elected office. Anthony Weiner, a onetime contender for New York City mayor, announced his resignation from Congress Thursday after weeks of being pilloried.
Mr. Weiner admitted earlier this month to engaging in lewd online exchanges with six women and then repeatedly lying about it as part of a botched cover-up.
Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York said he is resigning his seat in Congress due to the fallout from his lewd online messages to women. Devlin Barrett has details.
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For the first time since he was elected to the New York City Council in 1991 at age 27, Mr. Weiner no longer holds a government office, and his prospects of holding elected office anytime soon appear dim. With the loss of his $174,000-a-year congressional salary, Mr. Weiner will soon learn what job opportunities are available now that his name has become a national punch line.
"I got into politics to help give voice to the many that simply did not have one," Mr. Weiner said at the news conference on Thursday announcing his resignation. "Now I'll be looking for other ways to contribute my talents to make sure we live up to that most New York and American of ideals: the idea that leading a family, a community and ultimately a country, is the thing that all unites us, the one thing we are all focused on."
Mr. Weiner didn't give any specifics on what he might actually do for work. An aide to the former congressman declined to comment Thursday on Mr. Weiner's future plans.
Timeline of Events
Friday, May 27: Weiner sends a waist-down photograph to a college student. He mistakenly codes it so thousands of his Twitter followers can see it.
Saturday, May 28: Weiner claims his account was hacked. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posts the first report about the lewd photo.
Wednesday, June 1: Weiner says he cannot say "with certitude" whether the photo was of him or not.
Monday, June 6: Weiner makes a profuse public apology, admitting to sending the photo and lying to protect himself.
Saturday, June 11: Weiner rebuffs calls to resign and announces he plans to seek treatment.
Thursday, June 16: Weiner announces his resignation from Congress.
Source: Associated Press
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As hard as Mr. Weiner has fallen, there is a myriad of politicians who have moved past scandals and rebuilt their careers. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008 following revelations that he patronized high-priced prostitutes, and he's now the host of a prime-time show on CNN. Former President Bill Clinton (who officiated at Mr. Weiner's wedding to Huma Abedin, an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) was impeached by the House following a sex scandal but not convicted by the Senate. He served out his term and now heads an international foundation and sometimes performs diplomatic missions for the U.S.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was accused of trying to sell President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, became a reality-TV star, appearing on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice." A federal jury was deliberating his fate on Thursday.
"The American public is in love with three things: beautiful women, athletes and public apologies," said George Regan, a public-relations executive who specialized in crisis communications when he worked at Boston City Hall. "It's not like Weiner killed anyone here. He's not a pedophile. He's got a couple loose screws. He goes into rehab, goes into a submarine for a few years, he can come back out."
Mr. Regan and others said the sordid nature of Mr. Weiner's downfall will pose challenges as he pursues a new career. The Internet is rife with photos of Mr. Weiner posing nude and semi-nude, and just this week a former adult-film star held a news conference in Manhattan to recount some of the lewd messages she said Mr. Weiner sent her.
Some who know Mr. Weiner believe he will ultimately find a job as a commentator on cable television, where he excelled for years as one of the Democratic Party's most prominent public voices.
"The public is very forgiving. He needs a little bit of space before he does something. He needs to go into therapy. He needs to show remorse," said George Arzt, a former press secretary to New York Mayor Ed Koch. "People love comeback stories."
Another job possibility could be rooted in his personal connection to the Clintons. Mr. Weiner could end up contributing to Mr. Clinton's aid work, some said.
Unlike Mr. Spitzer, Mr. Weiner doesn't have a wealthy family on which to fall back. According to financial-disclosure statements filed recently, he has what appears to be a modest investment portfolio.
The most significant asset—more than $100,000 at NIH Credit Union—is owned by his wife.
I bet shovel ready is real funny to him right. Wife got the money and Job. LOL ROFLMOA
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