Rep. Weiner plans to resign ThursdayTen days after admitting that he lied about sending sexually-charged text messages and photos to women he met online, Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., is preparing to step down.
NBC News confirms that Weiner called Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Rep. Steve Israel last night to inform them he had decided to resign on Thursday.
The New York Times was the first to report that Weiner told friends of his plan to resign under mounting pressure from House Democratic leaders, who were poised Thursday to strip the New York congressman of his committee assignments.
Weiner has scheduled a 2pm ET news conference in New York.
At a regularly-scheduled press conference Thursday morning, Pelosi repeatedly declined to comment on the matter until after Weiner's afternoon event.
NBC reported shortly before the news broke that congressional staff members appeared to be packing up Weiner’s office this morning. Per NBC's Alex Moe, two staff members and two interns left the office with their belongings after turning off lights and locking the door.
Weiner resisted giving up his seat for more than a week, despite calls for his resignation from Pelosi and President Barack Obama.
But the Times reports that Weiner decided to step down after “having long discussions” with his wife, Huma Abedin, who just returned Tuesday from an overseas trip with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. News broke last week that Abedin is pregnant.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner told reporters at a press conference Thursday morning that Weiner had not informed him of his decision to resign, adding that the episode has been a "distraction."
