New York Rep. Anthony Weiner is facing a new set of challenges after a recent batch of photos show the New York Democrat poising nude in the Congressional gym.
TMZ, which obtained and released the photos Sunday, said Mr. Weiner, who admitted to sending lewd photos to various women in recent months, took the pictures on his Blackberry before sending them to women. One photograph showed Mr. Weiner posing with a towel covering his crotch. Another photo shows him in a blue tank-top posing on the gym floor.
Mr. Weiner’s spokeswoman, Risa Heller, declined to comment on Sunday.
The photos are the first sign that Mr. Weiner may have used congressional resources while engaging with various women on the web. Mr. Weiner said Monday that he never had any physical contact with the women he reached out to, adding that he would not resign amidst allegations of sexual misconduct.
Revelations of Mr. Weiner’s indiscretions came to light earlier this month after the New York Democrat claimed his Twitter account was hacked and that a photo of man’s crotch was not him. Mr. Weiner later admitted to sending the photo to a college student studying in Seattle.
With the latest batch of photos showing Mr. Weiner nearly nude in the Congressional gym, pressure on House Democrats is likely mounting. Rep. Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership have already called on Mr. Weiner to resign, while Ms. Pelosi said she will launch an ethics investigation.
Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, reiterated her stance, saying Mr. Weiner must step down.
“At the end of the day, a member of Congress makes their own decision, and that’s certainly going to be up to Anthony Weiner,” Ms. Wasserman Schultz said. “But we have made it clear that he needs to resign, he needs to focus on getting his own personal issues in order.”
Mr. Weiner, meanwhile, has reiterated his determination not to resign. The New York Democrat said Saturday that he will enter an rehab facility after constituents voiced concerns.
