Top Senate Democrat Harry Reid cut off disgraced Rep. Anthony Weiner
yesterday, saying he wouldn't even take a call from the onetime
political up-and-comer.
"Call someone else!" the Senate
majority leader snapped when asked what he'd say if the scandal-plagued
Weiner rang him asking for advice.
"I know Congressman Weiner.
And I wish there was some way I can defend him, but I can't," Reid
blasted at his weekly news conference.
Reid's rebuff of the
randy representative was the strongest evidence yet that Weiner has lost
the crucial support of his party leaders -- essentially making him a
lame duck.
Top aides on Capitol Hill also said Weiner is under
intense pressure to resign the day after he admitted -- in a blubbering
press conference -- to three years of tawdry online affairs with six
random women.
"The leadership is obviously very furious about the way he handled this," an aide said. "It's very messy."
And in yet another blow to the kinky congressman's mayoral ambitions,
Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Vito Lopez called Weiner's online
exploits "quite serious."
"It's imperative that he resolves
this issue," the power broker said. "I do believe that this is extremely
damaging, though, in his efforts to run for mayor."
One
congressional Democrat from Ohio, Betty Sutton, threw out $1,000 that
Weiner donated to her campaign and instead gave it to a local charity.
Even actor Matt Damon, a staunch Weiner supporter, canceled a planned
June fund-raiser for the scandal-scarred congressman at Almond
Restaurant. Tickets ranged from $250 to $10,000 each.
Some Dems showed sympathy though, notably Sen. Charles Schumer, Weiner's mentor and former boss.
"He remains a talented and committed public servant, and I pray he and
his family can get through these difficult times," he said through a
spokesman.
Weiner's troubles are so severe, even his likely opponents for mayor have written him off.
In a brazen political move, the Democratic hopefuls are scrambling to
pluck votes from his traditional Brooklyn and Queens base and even court
his deep-pocketed backers, multiple sources told The Post.
Additional reporting by Brendan Scott and Josh Margolin.
Print This 
Print This 