Anthony Weiner admitted to sending a lewd Twitter photo of himself to a woman and then lying about it in June 2011. Credit: Getty Images
When it comes to the tough questions, Anthony Weiner won’t back down. Weiner lashed out at fellow Democrats at a candidates forum Wednesday night when he was grilled about his infamous sexting scandal.
“How dare you?” said Chris Owens, a Brownstone Brooklyn district leader, according to Politicker. “I’m a parent, I’ve got two sons. I represent the Democratic Party. I am outraged and disgusted by you, both by what you did and by the fact that you have the arrogance to run for mayor now.”
Weiner responded: “I appreciate the question, Chris, and I know that some people will feel that way,” and then went on to accuse Owens of holding a grudge against him for supporting Owens’ rival in a 2006 congressional race.
“All I can say is that I have explained – and I’ll explain it to as many people who want to ask me about those things – that it was a personal mistake that I made,” Weiner said. “It was one that I regret and one that I’ve expressed apologies for. … But now people have to decide whether or not it disqualifies me.
“I do think I have something to offer in this conversation,” Weiner said.
Then came another tough question.
“Don’t you think that there’s something about public office that means that you have to have the trust of people, that we can’t have our politicians going around apologizing all the time?” asked club member Jesse Strauss.
Strauss noted that teachers are prohibited from tweeting photos to their students.
“How are we going to have the stature as a city to tell that teacher that they can’t work for the City of New York when our mayor has done the same thing?” he asked.
Weiner snapped back: “Listen, if you believe that my personal failings disqualify me, don’t vote for me.” He asked Strauss who he is supporting in the mayoral race. Strauss responded that he is supporting Bill de Blasio.
“I’m going to win this election, OK, and I’m gonna govern this city really well,” Weiner declared. “If you don’t think I should even be standing here today, I certainly would respect that. I mean, you’re supporting another candidate who’s not gonna win.”
