After three sexting scandals, itâs over finally between Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner. But sheâs not the only one to declare his latest scandal was one too many.
Weiner, once a rising star in New York politics, has been a semi-regular contributor to multiple news outlets even after the 2013 sexting scandal that cratered his bid for mayor. After the New York Post revealed that Weiner had continued the extramarital sexting, at least one news outlet has cut off his contributor role.
Television channel NY1 said Weiner would not be reprising his contributor role on any of its shows.
âAnthony Weiner is on indefinite leave from the station,â a spokesperson said in a statement.
The New York Daily News, where Weiner contributed occasional opinion columns since 2008 and became a columnist in 2014, said enough is enough.
â[W]e wonât be running his columns in the future,â opinion editor Josh Greenman told The Daily Beast in an email.
Business Insider, where Weiner also contributes, said they had no formal relationship to dissolve, and didnât address his future at the site.
âWe are sorry to hear about the dissolution of the Weinersâ marriage, and we wish them all the best,â Business Insider said in a statement. âWe do not a have formal contributor relationship with Mr. Weiner, but we and our readers always enjoy his columns.â
Weinerâs high-profile scandals have cost him at least two other jobs: He resigned his seat in Congress in 2011 after accidentally tweeting a crotch-shot meant for someone else other than his wife. (He first blamed it on hackers.) After a 2013 sexting spree as âCarlos Dangerâ with Sydney Leathers destroyed his nascent political comeback, he took on a role at public relations firm MWW. But after two months, the firm let him go, citing distractions from news outlets writing on him.
âThe continuous noise from these parties has caused both Anthony and the MWW team to have to deal with many inflammatory, insulting and false stories,â MWW said in a September 2015 statement. âTo Anthonyâs credit, he understands that his presence here has created noise and distraction that just isnât helpful, and at the same time, he has other interests that he wishes to pursue.â
Weiner pushed back, saying he hadnât been consulted.
âI read the MWW statement when they sent it to staff,â Weiner told PoliticoNJ. âI was either not consulted or ignored on every part of this excellent summer adventure.â
Weiner was still living down his 2013 sexts in 2016, after documentarians released the feature film Weiner, which followed his mayoral campaign from comeback story to its scandalous end. While he treated the documentary with good humor in interviews, he also said he regretted the effect it had on his family, including Abedin, who is a high-ranking aide to Hillary Clinton.
âObviously, it was a brutally difficult time for me and my family that I brought upon myself,â Weiner said in a January interview with NY1. âIâm not eager to relive it. So I havenât seen the movie and even if itâs given free, I doubt Iâll be eager to watch it.â
Weinerâs latest fall from grace follows a Sunday night exposĂ© by the New York Post, which revealed lewd conversations between Weiner and a woman who was not his wifeâafter he swore off sexting in two separate scandals in 2011 and 2013. The Post ran excerpts from a Twitter conversation between Weiner and an unnamed woman. In it, Weiner sends racy pictures, one of which featured his young son sleeping in the background. Weiner also told the woman heâd dreamed about her, and invited her to meet him in New York.
âAfter long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband,â Abedin said in a Monday statement. âAnthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy.â