Anthony Weiner, the former U.S. Congressman whose career was derailed by a sexting scandal, has made an unconventional return to the public eye. During an appearance on “The Adam Friedland Show,” a podcast episode released on YouTube this Thursday, Weiner attempted to joke about his past criminal behavior as he seeks a political comeback in a New York City Council race.
Weiner, a 60-year-old registered sex offender, confidently addressed his appeal to female voters in the interview. "For sure, my god. They’re crazy about me. Women are crazy about me,” he asserted. His comments come years after his conviction for sexting a 15-year-old girl, an action that led to a 21-month federal prison sentence. During the conversation, Weiner did not shy away from discussing his notorious last name and the explicit actions that landed him in hot water, remarking, “I’m a guy named Weiner who tweeted out a picture of his d*ck.”
The disgraced politician suggested his scandal was magnified by a "slow news" period, while also drawing attention to current allegations against other politicians. Host Adam Friedland brought up former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL), to which Weiner responded with an unfinished quip involving Gaetz's surname.
Weiner offered insights into his prison life, crediting his survival to aligning with the commissary manager. He recounted an incident at a Wingstop restaurant where a customer encouraged him to "run for governor again," mistaking him for Eliot Spitzer, another New York politician embroiled in a scandal. Additionally, Weiner touched on his strained relationships with New York politicians, mentioning Manhattan Representative Jerrold Nadler's apparent discomfort around him.
Despite his attempts at humor, Weiner acknowledged the lasting impact of his actions, particularly the pain of being on the sex offender registry after serving his sentence. His fall from grace began in 2011 with a resignation from Congress after he admitted to sending explicit images to multiple women. A 2013 mayoral run ended in failure when he was caught continuing such behavior under the alias "Carlos Danger."
The implications of Weiner's actions extended beyond his personal downfall. During the investigation into his conduct with a minor, FBI agents found thousands of Hillary Clinton's private emails on a laptop shared with his then-wife, Huma Abedin, a close aide to Clinton. This discovery led to the FBI reopening its investigation into Clinton's email practices shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Clinton has since cited this event as a factor in her loss to Donald Trump.
Weiner is now seeking the Democratic nomination for Manhattan’s East Side District 2 City Council seat, as he tries once more to re-enter the realm of elected office.
