Politics

Weiner spokesman on #Weinergate: We’re ‘consulting’ on next steps

Matthew Boyle Investigative Reporter
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A spokesman for New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner told The Daily Caller that what’s become known online as “#Weinergate” is an attempt by conservatives to cause a “distraction” and that the congressman’s office is considering its options on what to do next.

The imbroglio started Friday night when Weiner’s official “verified” Twitter account sent a photo of a man’s erect penis underneath gray boxer shorts to a woman in Washington State. Both Weiner and his spokesman, Dave Arnold, have stated that the lewd photograph made it onto the congressman’s Twitter account as result of a hacking of Weiner’s Facebook and Twitter profiles.

Weiner’s office told TheDC that they won’t allow this issue to become a distraction and that they are “consulting on what steps” they can take regarding the hacking.

“This is intended to be a distraction, and we’re not going to let it become one. Anthony’s accounts were obviously hacked,” said Arnold. “He doesn’t know the person named by the hacker, and we will be consulting on what steps to take next.”

Arnold would not specify what steps Weiner is considering. It is unclear whether a Capitol Hill police or FBI investigation into the hacking will ensue. Neither the Capitol Hill police nor the FBI has returned TheDC’s requests for comment.

Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government first reported Weiner’s lewd tweet photo, published via photo-sharing service YFrog via an account connected to his official Twitter. Weiner, who had been tweeting about a hockey game shortly beforehand, deleted the tweet almost immediately, and then wrote, “Tivo shot. FB hacked. Is my blender gonna attack me next? #TheToasterIsVeryLoyal.”

The college-aged woman Weiner’s tweet was directed at was Gennette Nicole Cordova from Washington State, supposedly a journalism student. According to Ironic Surrealism, Cordova has had four Twitter accounts throughout the course of #Weinergate, and a tweet from her latest account indicates she is attempting to hide from journalists. “Reporters haven’t been able to contact me yet,” Cordova tweeted. “That says alot about the people in my life. Love you guys.”

Since Breitbart’s site first reported on the picture, conservative bloggers have begun pouring through Weiner’s past Twitter communications.  A blogger at The Prudence Pain Papers found a tweet from a porn star, stripper and self-described fan of Weiner indicating that the congressman sent her a private DM, Twitter-speak for “Direct Message,” only visible to the sender and recipient. The tweet read: “You know it’s a good day when you wake up to a DM from @RepWeiner. (I’m a fangirl, y’all, he’s my trifecta of win.)”

Ironic Surrealism also points out that another young woman, possibly only of high school age, was bragging about talking with Weiner. In an April 13 tweet, Maggie Henning wrote: “Seriously talking to Representative Weiner from New York right now! Like is my life real?”