House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has called for an investigation by the Congressional Ethics Committee to determine if Congressman Anthony Weiner has violated any house rules by sending lewd photos of himself to women over the Internet.
Now Weiner stands among a long line of disgraced politicians who have had their “adventures”—be they violent or sexual in nature, involve alcohol or other substance abuse—plastered all over every media outlet ad nauseum.
But whether Weiner is or is not proven to have broken the rules in the House of Representatives, he has without question broken the rules in the houses of each of his constituents. And in those same houses he has broken the trust of the individuals he was elected to represent.
It is fairly clear that the voters in the 9th Congressional District cannot depend on him to resign. He made it clear at a tearful press conference late Monday that he intends to go back to work and that his ability to do his job has not changed.
As we see it, Weiner’s sentiment that the incident does not affect his job is as absurd and arrogant as his thinking as public a figure as he would be able to engage in sexting without being discovered or facing consequence. But perhaps he just isn’t conditioned to care. Weiner’s been in the audience to see many tainted elected officials before him accept a slap on the proverbial wrist and return to their life in public service.
We know it’s a waste to call on the Congressman to step down but we’ll spend the ink and demand that he do so. Based on that which clearly defines Weiner’s lack of character, we’re sure he won’t oblige.
Our only real hope lies with the voters of the 9th Congressional District to turn their backs on him in the voting booth, just as he has turned his back on them.
