From the first explicit photos to his denial, resignation from Congress, bid for New York mayor and the latest scandal, here’s a look at former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s last few years in the spotlight:
– July 29, 2010: Weiner, a Democratic congressman from New York, gains national attention for an impassioned speech on the House floor about health care for 9/11 emergency responders. Videos of the speech go viral and catapult Weiner into the public spotlight.
– May 27, 2011: A lewd photo appears briefly on Weiner’s Twitter account. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart is first to report the image, which shows the bulging crotch of a man in his underwear.
– May 30, 2011: The congressman tells reporters a hacker got control of his Twitter account. “Look, this is a prank and not a terribly creative one,” Weiner says.
Weiner: “I was hacked. It happens to people. You move on.”
– June 1, 2011: Weiner tells CNN he did not post the picture and has hired a law firm to investigate. He continues to evade the question about whether the photo is of him.
– June 6, 2011: In an abrupt about-face, a tearful Weiner apologizes for having lied about his Twitter account being hacked and admits to having engaged in inappropriate online relationships with several women he met on the Internet, generally on Facebook. He tells reporters he will not resign and does not plan to separate from his wife. “To be clear, the picture was of me, and I sent it,” Weiner says.