3 more in Secret Service forced out amid scandal

WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON The repercussions from the burgeoning Colombia prostitution scandal continued to mount Friday as the U.S. Secret Service forced out three more employees, while agency director Mark Sullivan gave his first briefing to President Barack Obama on the alleged misconduct of those in charge of protecting him.

Developments in Washington

President Barack Obama's re-election effort enjoyed a huge financial edge over Republican rival Mitt Romney last month, out-raising the former Massachusetts governor by millions as Obama stuffed more than $104 million into his campaign war chest. A nasty primary battle between Romney and his GOP rivals took a financial toll on his presidential campaign, which raised $12.6 million in March and left Romney with about $10 million in the bank by month's end. All told, Obama and the Democratic Party raised a combined $53 million in donations during that period.

Officials say birds struck Vice President Joe Biden's plane as it was landing Thursday night at Santa Barbara Airport in California. Nobody was injured. Biden, who was in Santa Barbara for a fundraiser, left as scheduled Friday morning on another plane.

A former aide to onetime congressional power broker Tom DeLay was sentenced Friday to five months in a halfway house in the final act of the probe of the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. Tony Rudy, an ex-deputy chief of staff to DeLay, pleaded guilty six years ago to conspiring with Abramoff, a Republican super-lobbyist, and others to accept a stream of gifts when Rudy was a congressional staffer.

-- Associated Press

Sullivan met with Obama in the Oval Office, a week after revelations surfaced of heavy drinking, strip clubs and payments to prostitutes on April 11 by members of the president's advance security team, who were preparing for his trip to an international summit.

In his daily briefing at the White House, which occurred before Obama met with Sullivan, press secretary Jay Carney said the president is confident his security was "never compromised," even though the Secret Service replaced at least 11 agents and officers just hours before Obama arrived in the city of Cartagena on April 13.

Obama has "faith in the Secret Service, and high regard for the agency and the job that they do protecting him, his family, protecting his predecessors," Carney said.

The three Secret Service personnel forced out Friday have chosen to resign, the agency said in a statement, bringing to six the total number who have lost their jobs in the wake of the incident.

That total includes two supervisors, David Randall Chaney and Greg Stokes, who were pushed out Wednesday after careers that spanned nearly two decades each. Chaney has elected to retire, while Stokes has been recommended for termination for cause and will be given a chance to contest the charges.

On Chaney's Facebook account, which was made inaccessible on Friday, Chaney joked about his work with former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin while he was protecting her in 2008. The AP published a photograph it took of Chaney working in Palin's protective detail in October 2008 during a campaign rally in Carson, Calif.

"I was really checking her out, if you know what i mean?" Chaney wrote after a friend commented on the picture posted in January 2009 on Chaney's Facebook account.

Speaking on Fox News late Thursday, Palin said the joke was on Chaney.

"Well, check this out, buddy -- you're fired!" Palin said.

In all, 22 men from the Secret Service and military are now suspected of having participated in the carousing. The military said Friday that 11 of its members have been implicated, one more than previously reported.

Six are from the Army, two from the Marine Corps, two from the Navy and one from the Air Force, according to Col. Scott Malcom, a spokesman for U.S. Southern Command.

The Army personnel are from the 7th Special Forces Group; the Marines and sailors work in San Diego; and the airman is based in Charleston, S.C., Malcom said in a statement. The service members have returned to their home bases pending a separate investigation by the Defense Department.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Defiant no longer, Weiner resigns in sex scandal (AP)

By KAREN ZRAICK and ANDREW MIGA, Associated Press Karen Zraick And Andrew Miga, Associated Press – Thu Jun 16, 7:19 pm ET

NEW YORK – Defiant and combative no longer, New York Rep. Anthony Weiner soberly announced his resignation from Congress on Thursday, bowing to the furor caused by his sexually charged online dalliances with a former porn actress and other women.

Democratic Party leaders, concerned that Weiner could weigh the party down in the 2012 elections, welcomed the announcement after days spent trying to coax, push and finally coerce the wayward 46-year-old into quitting. Known as brash, liberal and ambitious, Weiner had run for mayor of New York in 2005 and had been expected to do so again. He was in his seventh term in Congress.

At an appearance in Brooklyn that drew hecklers as well as supporters, Weiner apologized "for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused," particularly to his wife, Huma Abedin.

Pregnant with the couple's first child, she was absent as she had been 10 days ago when Weiner first admitted sending inappropriate messages and photos to women online — after earlier denying emphatically he had done so.

In his brief farewell appearance, Weiner said he initially hoped the controversy would fade but then realized "the distraction that I have created has made that impossible."

That conclusion echoed party officials who had become worried that the intense public focus on Weiner — and the Republican political rhetoric sure to follow — would complicate their campaign efforts in 2012.

"Congressman Weiner exercised poor judgment in his actions and poor judgment in his reaction to the revelations," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement released moments after he spoke. "Today, he made the right judgment in resigning."

Weiner made his announcement at the same senior citizen center in Brooklyn where he announced his candidacy for the New York city council in 1992.

He declined to answer questions, leaving unaddressed whether he envisioned his resignation as the end of a once-promising political career — or merely a painful pause of uncertain duration.

"Now I'll be looking for other ways to contribute my talents so that we live up to that most New York and American of ideals," he said.

Nor did he explain his presence in New York, several days after issuing a statement that said he was seeking treatment. Other Democrats said he had left the city to do so.

He had succeeded his mentor, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who vacated the seat to run for the Senate. The senator, one of a few prominent Democratic leaders who did not call for Weiner's resignation, issued a statement saying the congressman "has served his community, city and country well for over two decades."

Weiner's departure marks the end of a bizarre period born of the New Yorker's use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

His problems began on May 28 when a website run by conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart posted a lewd photograph of an underwear-clad crotch and said it had been sent from Weiner's Twitter account to a Seattle woman.

And as the scandalous chapter neared its conclusion, a former pornography actress who exchanged emails and messages over Twitter with him said Wednesday at a news conference he had asked her to lie about their interactions.

Ginger Lee said she and Weiner exchanged about 100 emails between March and June after Lee posted a supportive statement about the congressman on her blog. He then contacted her on Twitter, Lee said. They mostly discussed politics, but he would often turn the conversation to sex, she said.

"`I have wardrobe demands, too. I need to highlight my package,'" Weiner wrote Lee, in an email read aloud at the news conference by Lee's attorney.

Weiner's initial reaction after the first photo became public more than two weeks ago was to lie, and he did so repeatedly, saying his Twitter account had been hacked.

But he pointedly did not report the incident to law enforcement — a step that could have opened him to charges of far more serious wrongdoing.

Nor were his public denials persuasive, especially when he told one interviewer he could not "say with certitude" that he wasn't the faceless man in the underwear photo.

His eventual confession triggered a tabloid-style frenzy in print and online that only grew more pronounced a few days later when an X-rated photo surfaced on a website.

After initially calling for a House ethics investigation, Pelosi ramped up the pressure on Saturday when she joined with Israel and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, leader of the Democratic National Committee, in calling on Weiner to step down.

President Barack Obama added to the pressure two days later, saying if he were in Weiner's situation, he would resign. Once Weiner did so, Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" that "I wish Rep. Weiner and his lovely wife well. This obviously has been a tough incident for him but I'm confident that they'll refocus and he'll refocus and they'll end up being able to bounce back."

On Wednesday, Democrats let it be known that the party's leadership in the House would be meeting within 24 hours to consider sanctions against Weiner, including possibly stripping him of his committee assignment.

Officials said Weiner informed Pelosi and Rep. Steve Israel of New York, the head of the party campaign committee, of his plans to quit as they attended a White House picnic on Wednesday evening.

Several officials have said in recent days that Weiner was reluctant to make any decision about his career without speaking with his wife, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had been overseas since shortly after the scandal broke. The trip ended Tuesday night.

Weiner's outspoken, in-your-face style cheered liberal supporters and angered conservatives. He even irritated some party leaders in 2009 when he led the charge for a government-run health care system long after the White House had made it clear that Obama was opposed.

Weiner's district includes parts of Queens and Brooklyn. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has the authority to call a special election to fill the seat once the congressman submits his resignation.

____

Andrew Miga reported from Washington; Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy and Ula Ilnytzky contributed from New York.

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Democrats try to channel scandal into gun control push (Daily Caller)

Faced with bracing evidence and the testimony of four ATF agents contradicting the Justice Department’s initial blanket denials that assault weapons were knowingly allowed to escape into the clutches of Mexican drug cartels, Democrats tried a new approach at a hearing Wednesday.

Rather than focus on questioning the GOP’s investigative tactics, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sought to subtly channel the burgeoning scandal into a push for new gun control laws.

For instance, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Virginia Democrat, connected the apparently reckless investigative strategy to the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) lobbying pushes.

“The NRA has opposed regulations which would require tracking of multiple gun sales,” Connolly noted in a statement passed out to reporters. “The gun lobby and its advocates in Congress are even trying to pass legislation to eviscerate the ATF’s authority to stop criminals.”

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, New York Democrat, also drew a link between the Operation Fast and Furious scandal and whether ATF agents are plagued by “toothless” laws.

“US Attorneys have complained” that prosecutions for illegally purchasing weapons to resell to criminal networks are viewed by judges as “mere paper violations. Have you heard this criticism before?” McCarthy asked the four ATF agents testifying.

(CONTRADICTION: Four ATF agents contradict Justice Department account on ‘Fast and Furious’)

“I have and I agree with it,” said Peter Forceilli, who thought a minimum sentence of one year in jail would ensure cooperation from “straw buyers” caught by federal authorities.

Darrell Issa, chairman of the Oversight Committee, sought to intervene.

“I want to caution the witnesses,” Issa said. “The scope of your testimony here is limited, and is not about proposed legislation and the like.”

Elijah Cummings, Maryland Democrat and Issa’s combative foil on the oversight panel, protested vociferously. “It’s only fair” for the ATF agents to speak their mind about whether gun laws should be strengthened.

The shift in tactics by the Democrats came as they also appeared to concede the weight of the evidence Issa was presenting clearly undercut blanket denials initially issued by the Justice Department.

Cummings, for instance, called the four ATF agents “great Americans” for “standing up for what you believe in,” and warned the ATF not to retaliate against the agents.

(RECONSIDER: ‘Wire’ co-creator to Holder: Reconsider drug war)

However, when a top deputy to Attorney General Eric Holder was testifying, Cummings ostentatiously apologized for Issa’s conduct in demanding answers from assistant attorney general Ronald Weich. “Let me apologize,” he said. Issa objected that “you may apologize on behalf of something you say.”

Cummings, in defending Weich, shows Democrats are still invested in defending the Obama administration even as documents and testimony are increasingly undermining the administration’s claims.

But the gun control comments Wednesday indicate they may be preparing to chart a new course: embracing the controversy and using it for their own political purposes.

That would, at the very least, leave less time to save Holder from Issa’s zealous investigation.

Read more stories from The Daily Caller

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Democrats try to channel scandal into gun control push

Herman Cain gives campaign staff business titles

Obama, Boehner to meet on the green

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Anthony Weiner says he will take leave of absence, seek ‘treatment’ as scandal grows (The Ticket)

Just hours after three leading Democrats called on him to resign, Rep. Anthony Weiner announced he will take a leave of absence from Congress and enter a treatment program.

Saturday began with a major blow to Weiner's chances for survival, as  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, all issued statements urging Weiner to leave Congress.

Shortly after, Weiner's office announced that the embattled New York Democrat had decided to enter a treatment program, saying he "needs this time to get healthy and make the best possible decision" about his future.

"Congressman Weiner departed this morning to seek professional treatment to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person," Weiner's office announced. "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."

It's unclear what type of treatment Weiner is seeking, but Democrats hinted it's not enough to overcome the scandal and urged him to resign.

"It is with great disappointment that I call on Rep. Anthony Weiner to resign," Wasserman Schultz's statement read. "The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and [his] continued service in Congress is untenable.  This sordid affair has become an unacceptable distraction for Rep. Weiner, his family, his constituents and the House--and for the good of all, he should step aside and address those things that should be most important--his and his family's well-being."

The developments came a day after it was revealed Delaware police questioned a 17-year-old girl about her Twitter exchanges with the embattled lawmaker. Weiner insisted late Friday his dealings with the girl were "neither explicit nor indecent"—a statement the girl's family backed up in an interview with the New York Times. But apparently the report was the final straw for Weiner's Democratic colleagues, who say they can no longer defend the disgraced congressman.

Pelosi, who initiated an House ethics investigation into Weiner's activities earlier this week, had refused as late as yesterday to call for her colleague's resignation. But she, too, reversed course Saturday.

"Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help," Pelosi said. "I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress."

Israel, a fellow New York Democrat, also called his for colleague to resign, saying Weiner's "inappropriate behavior has become an insurmountable distraction to the House and our work for the American people."

The decision of all three Democratic leaders to go public with their resignation calls simultaneously is a strong hint that back-channel efforts among party officials to convince Weiner to leave Congress on his own have failed.

Weiner has repeatedly insisted he won't leave Congress, citing the support of his constituents and his wife, Huma Abedin. On Monday, the New York Democrat admitted he'd lied about risqué online relationships with six women he had met on Facebook and Twitter.

(Photo of Weiner: David Karp/AP)

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Weiner Scandal Brings Unity and Strength to Democrats (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | As someone who worked for years in and around the political community, I have found myself following the trials and tribulations that have come from the scandal that Rep. Anthony Weiner is stuck in the middle of. Some commentators may think the issues caused by this scandal are hurting the Democrats, but I have to disagree. I think the Democrats are showing unity and strength in how they are distancing themselves from Weiner and calling for his resignation.

As this scandal began to progress and grow, I fully expected to hear Democratic leaders try to get out of questions about the issue. I expected to hear Democrats saying "This is a very trying time for Anthony and his family, and I would hope that the media would give them the space that they need to deal with this issue." I was surprised with what ended up happening, though.

At first, Democrats began to distance themselves from their embattled partner in Congress. When Rep. Nancy Pelosi came out and asked for Weiner's resignation I just about hit the floor. President Barack Obama's recent comments about how he would resign if he was in Weiner's position cemented in my mind that the Democrats were unifying and making power moves at the right time.

You might remember that most Democrats were trying to support President Bill Clinton during his scandal with Monica Lewinsky. They unified to try to make sure the impeachment process did not go through. Any Democrats in Congress that did not join hand-in-hand with the rest of the party were ostracized. At this time, though, Weiner is the one being ostracized for what he did.

Right now, the Democrats are attempting to show they know what Weiner did was wrong, and that they believe that his position as a leader is forfeit. By pressing him to resign, the Democrats are showing they should not hold any responsibility or weight for what he did, and the scandal that has ensued. This is the best move going into such an important election year. Everyone knows that this scandal will come up during the election process, but the Democrats can stand behind the fact that they did what they could to make Weiner pay for what he did.

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Democrats call for ethics probe of Weiner scandal (AP)

WASHINGTON – Top congressional Democrats are calling for an ethics investigation — and the truth — about whether scandalized New York Rep. Anthony Weiner broke any rules or used government resources to send lewd pictures over the Internet.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says she's disappointed in Weiner's conduct, which he confessed Monday included conducting inappropriate exchanges with six women. He apologized, but refused to resign.

Rep. Steve Israel, the House Democrats' campaign chief, said the New York congressman had "embarrassed himself, his family and the House." A spokeswoman for Democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said Hoyer urged Weiner to come clean about the messages and photos he sent on Twitter.

Last July, Weiner married Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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Democrats call for ethics probe of Weiner scandal (AP)

WASHINGTON – Top congressional Democrats are calling for an ethics investigation — and the truth — about whether scandalized New York Rep. Anthony Weiner broke any rules or used government resources to send lewd pictures over the Internet.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says she's disappointed in Weiner's conduct, which he confessed Monday included conducting inappropriate exchanges with six women. He apologized, but refused to resign.

Rep. Steve Israel, the House Democrats' campaign chief, said the New York congressman had "embarrassed himself, his family and the House." A spokeswoman for Democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said Hoyer urged Weiner to come clean about the messages and photos he sent on Twitter.

Last July, Weiner married Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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