Congressman Weiner urged to resign, seeks treatment

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Representative Anthony Weiner on Saturday defied a call from his party leader to resign and said he will instead seek treatment and a leave of absence following an Internet sex scandal.
The 46-year-old Democratic lawmaker announced his decisions shortly after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi urged him to go for help, but also to resign from Congress.
Weiner's determination to remain has angered Democrats, who say his inappropriate online exchanges with women have hurt the party just as it looks ahead toward next year's elections.
In a brief statement, the congressman's spokeswoman, Risa Heller, indicated Weiner would remain in office at least until he receives unspecified professional help.
"Congressman Weiner departed this morning to seek professional treatment to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person," Heller said .
"In light of that, he will request a short leave of absence from the House of Representatives so that he can get evaluated and map out a course of treatment to make himself well."
Earlier Saturday, Pelosi and other House Democrats publicly called on Weiner to step down, frustrated by his refusal to step aside after first admitting on Monday to inappropriate internet relations with at least six women.
"Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help," Pelosi said in a statement.
"I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress."
Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz called his behavior "indefensible" and the head of the Democrats' campaign fundraising in the House, Representative Steven Israel said it had become "an insurmountable distraction to the House."
The top Democrats appeared to coordinate their statements to add pressure on Weiner, a seven-term lawmaker from New York, to resign for sending lewd pictures of himself to women over the Internet and then lying about it.
NEW YORKERS STILL SUPPORT HIM
Weiner has thus far refused to resign, bolstered by support from his New York constituents.
According to a NY1-Marist poll, 56 percent of adults in his district believe he should stay in office, while 33 percent say he should quit.
The telephone survey of 512 adults was conducted on Wednesday, two days after Weiner admitted to having had inappropriate online exchanges with at least six woman. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Patrick Egan, a political science professor at New York University, said the poll results aren't particularly surprising. "This isn't Kansas, Utah or Alabama. This is New York where people are more forgiving of such things," he said.
"New Yorkers tend to like their politicians brash and with big personalities, and Anthony Weiner certainly fills those shoes," Egan said of the fiery liberal, who won a seventh term last November with 61 percent of the vote.
After vehemently denying for more than a week he sent a picture of his bulging boxer briefs to a woman in Seattle, claiming he was the victim of hacking, Weiner admitted to lying about the scandal on Monday when he said he had inappropriate exchanges with six women, some after he was married.
"The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner's continued service in Congress is untenable," said Wasserman Schultz.
"This sordid affair has become an unacceptable distraction for Representative Weiner, his family, his constituents and the House," she added.
Israel said: "Anthony's inappropriate behavior has become an insurmountable distraction to the House. ... With a heavy heart, I call on Anthony to resign."
Lawmakers will return to the House of Representatives on Monday after a break.