NY Rep. Chris Lee resigns

[Bartleby]

New York Rep. Chris Lee resigns from the House
By Chris Cillizza



New York Rep. Chris Lee has resigned his seat. Photo by Derek Gee/Buffalo News

Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) resigned from the House Wednesday evening effective immediately, an announcement that came just hours after a Web site reported that the married congressman had sent a shirtless image of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist.

"I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents," Lee said in a statement announcing his resignation. "I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness."

Lee's decision to vacate his Upstate New York seat came after Gawker, a gossip Web site, posted the shirtless image and what it said was correspondence between him and a 34-year-old woman.

The woman, who Gawker described as a government employee from Maryland but did not name, told the gossip site she posted an ad last month on the "Women for Men" forum seeking "financially & emotionally secure" men who don't "look like toads." That same day, she got a response from a person who said his name was Christopher Lee, describing himself as 39-year-old lobbyist, "a very fit fun classy guy. Live in Cap Hill area. 6ft 190lbs blond/blue." In follow-up e-mails he attached photos -- one in a blue polo shirt, the other shirtless.

Lee, who is married and has one child, was elected to the 26th district in 2008 and easily re-elected in 2010. His resignation will trigger a special election in a district Arizona Sen. John McCain won with 52 percent of the vote in 2008.

The power to call the special election falls to Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). There is no set deadline for a special election to be called but once it is called, it must be held between 30 and 40 days after that date.

Then-Gov. David Paterson (D) exploited this loophole so the state would not have to hold a separate special election to replace Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) after Massa's resignation in March. Paterson simply refused to call for the special election and then later set it for the same day as the November general election.

Given the amount of time between now and the next election though, it's likely Cuomo will call a special election. The state held one each in 2009 and 2010.

This is the fourth time in two years that an upstate New York seat will hold a special election (the race to replace Massa was still technically a special election).

Among the Republican names mentioned as Lee replacements include Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and Erie County Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy, state Sen. George Maziarz and state Assemblywoman Jane Corwin.

With Aaron Blake and Amy Argetsinger

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/house/new-york-rep-chris-lee-resigns.html?hpid=artslot



:rollin

[baseline bum]

Wow, a Republican cheating on his wife and it's not with a man? Shocking stuff. At least when the Dems cheat it's with a hottie.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3791/spitzerhoe.jpg

[ChumpDumper]

It was stupid, but no reason to resign.

[Stringer_Bell]

It's not like they banged or anything. No reason to resign, he should've denied denied denied.

But yea, shocking he wasn't bangin' dudes.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Wow, a Republican cheating on his wife and it's not with a man? Shocking stuff. At least when the Dems cheat it's with a hottie.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3791/spitzerhoe.jpg

Yeah. Let's see if CNN rewards this one with a job:toast

[George Gervin's Afro]

what a dumba$$

[coyotes_geek]

At least when the Dems cheat it's with a hottie.

http://profbob.com/images/Bill%20Clinton%20thumbs%20up.jpg

[Wild Cobra]

If he was a democrat, everyone would be cheering him on!

[clambake]

If he was a democrat, everyone would be cheering him on!

he's cheating with a woman.

clearly, he's a democrat.

[George Gervin's Afro]

If he was a democrat, everyone would be cheering him on!

no one had made it a right vs left issue..until you did.. nice going.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

no one had made it a right vs left issue..until you did.. nice going.

Wow, a Republican cheating on his wife and it's not with a man? Shocking stuff. At least when the Dems cheat it's with a hottie.

Really?

[TeyshaBlue]

he's cheating with a woman.

clearly, he's a democrat.

James McGreevey waves his florid testicles at you.
Barney Frank nods his approval.:lol

[TeyshaBlue]

no one had made it a right vs left issue..until you did.. nice going.

Dude, Baseline clearly beat him to the partisan punch.


Wow, a Republican cheating on his wife and it's not with a man? Shocking stuff. At least when the Dems cheat it's with a hottie.

[clambake]

James McGreevey waves his florid testicles at you.
Barney Frank nods his approval.:lol

clearly, they're republicans.

[DarkReign]

Who cares about this stuff? I mean, who is the voter that says "OMG, this guy cheated on his wife?! Cant vote for him."

Mind your damn business. If he's a shitty politician who doesnt represent his constituency well on Capitol Hill, throw his/her ass out. But because he/she isnt faithful to his spouse? No sense to me.

[baseline bum]

Dude, Baseline clearly beat him to the partisan punch.

Come on. I want to say something good about the Democrats for once.

[CosmicCowboy]

Who cares about this stuff? I mean, who is the voter that says "OMG, this guy cheated on his wife?! Cant vote for him."

Mind your damn business. If he's a shitty politician who doesnt represent his constituency well on Capitol Hill, throw his/her ass out. But because he/she isnt faithful to his spouse? No sense to me.

Got nothing to do with cheating. I wouldn't vote for him because he is FUCKING STUPID! I mean...NEVER put an embarrassing picture out there on the internet, ESPECIALLY if you are a fucking US CONGRESSMAN...

Dumbass...

[boutons_deux]

The Family Values Party on full frontal display.

[Wild Cobra]

Come on. I want to say something good about the Democrats for once.
Good luck...

[DarrinS]

If he was a Dem, he'd have had a love child with her while his wife was dying of terminal cancer.

[DarkReign]

Got nothing to do with cheating. I wouldn't vote for him because he is FUCKING STUPID! I mean...NEVER put an embarrassing picture out there on the internet, ESPECIALLY if you are a fucking US CONGRESSMAN...

Dumbass...

See, now thats solid reasoning. It was/is extremely dumb.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Dude, Baseline clearly beat him to the partisan punch.

I stand corrected..twice

[ChumpDumper]

If he was a Dem, he'd have had a love child with her while his wife was dying of terminal cancer.That's close enough to Newt's story to easily conclude both sides do it.

[boutons_deux]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.politicsdaily.com/media/2011/02/chris-lee-shirtless-split-427bn020911-1297359154.jpg

[Stringer_Bell]

Got nothing to do with cheating. I wouldn't vote for him because he is FUCKING STUPID! I mean...NEVER put an embarrassing picture out there on the internet, ESPECIALLY if you are a fucking US CONGRESSMAN...

Dumbass...

To be fair, he sent it to some chick he wanted to fuck...didn't exactly post it to a profile or facebook page haha. Some bitch went Private Detective on him and drew the right conclusions. If nothing else, he needs to just send cock shots to these bitches...it limits useless conversation and the potential for being, ermm, exposed to the media.

[jack sommerset]

That's fucking GAY and yes he should've resigned. I'm tired of people making up excuses for all the shit choices these congressmen/ho's make. He is married with child and he is surfing craigslist (fucking craiglist) sending a shirtless pic of himself to strange people he has no clue who they are or what they want. That's piss poor decision making on any level and shouldn't be representing any people of this nation let alone being one of our leaders.

[ChumpDumper]

Don't hate him because he looks better than you, jack.

[George Gervin's Afro]

That's fucking GAY and yes he should've resigned. I'm tired of people making up excuses for all the shit choices these congressmen/ho's make. He is married with child and he is surfing craigslist (fucking craiglist) sending a shirtless pic of himself to strange people he has no clue who they are or what they want. That's piss poor decision making on any level and shouldn't be representing any people of this nation let alone being one of our leaders.

what is with you and homosexual issues jack? why does it always go homo when you chime in?

[Wild Cobra]

That's piss poor decision making on any level and shouldn't be representing any people of this nation let alone being one of our leaders.

I completely agree. Too bad democrats don't feel the same about their elected officials.

[clambake]

I completely agree. Too bad democrats don't feel the same about their elected officials.

what are you blabbing about now?

[Wild Cobra]

what are you blabbing about now?
See, they don't even understand my words. they are too lame to understand what you and I said.

[clambake]

See, they don't even understand my words. they are too lame to understand what you and I said.

all you said is that you're butthurt. just curious about the reason this time.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I completely agree. Too bad democrats don't feel the same about their elected officials.

I am going to go out on a limb and assume our greatest Presidents lacked good judgement at one time...

just a hunch

[Wild Cobra]

all you said is that you're butthurt. just curious about the reason this time.
Wow...

That's how you read my agreement that the man has no business in congress because he does such boneheaded things?

[Wild Cobra]

I am going to go out on a limb and assume our greatest Presidents lacked good judgement at one time...

just a hunch
Sure, everyone makes bad judgment calls from time to time. This was really stupid though.

[clambake]

Wow...

That's how you read my agreement that the man has no business in congress because he does such boneheaded things?
hey stupid, this is what you said.

Too bad democrats don't feel the same about their elected officials.

[Wild Cobra]

hey stupid, this is what you said.
After agreeing it was poor judgment, I made that statement indicating it was too bad democrats do not exercise the same values in their standards.

Your point?

[sickdsm]

I am going to go out on a limb and assume our greatest Presidents lacked good judgement at one time...

just a hunch



Sure, but something like this was a high risk, no reward decision.


Do you REALLY think the best outcome of something like this wouldn't be getting a STD from a tranny that's going to blackmail you?

If not, it should be close.

[clambake]

After agreeing it was poor judgment, I made that statement indicating it was too bad democrats do not exercise the same values in their standards.

Your point?

again, what the fuck are you talking about?

are you so stupid that you think this is the only time he cheated?




and give the "values" shit a rest. we know about you.

[George Gervin's Afro]

After agreeing it was poor judgment, I made that statement indicating it was too bad democrats do not exercise the same values in their standards.

Your point?

sincerely,

the guy who would shoot illegal aliens as they crossed the border

[CosmicCowboy]

Sure, but something like this was a high risk, no reward decision.


Do you REALLY think the best outcome of something like this wouldn't be getting a STD from a tranny that's going to blackmail you?

If not, it should be close.

No shit...trolling CRAIGSLIST for Women seeking Men????? :lmao

WTF did he expect????

That like the height of desperation/stupidity.

[Spurminator]

What separates him from a good portion of the rest of his colleagues is that he got caught.

[jack sommerset]

You don't honestly think other congressmen cruise craiglist and have pictures of themselves shirtless they send to complete strangers.

[ChumpDumper]

What separates him from a good portion of the rest of his colleagues is that he got caught.Right. The photo took away his plausible deniability. Still, were he in any way more important in the Republican hierarchy, he probably would still be in office.

[CosmicCowboy]

You don't honestly think other congressmen cruise craiglist and have pictures of themselves shirtless they send to complete strangers.

I gotta go with Jack on this one. This was completely off the stupidity meter. I have a hard time believing they are all doing it...banging hookers and lobbyists? Sure, but not cruising strangers on Craigslist...

[clambake]

he ran out of hooker and lobbyist money.

[Yonivore]

Just wanted to note, this thread outlasted the scandal by just over 24 hours.

[ChumpDumper]

yoni had never heard of Chris Lee either before this. Hell, I thought it was Count Dooku.

[TeyshaBlue]

yoni had never heard of Chris Lee either before this. Hell, I thought it was Count Dooku.

:lmao

[George Gervin's Afro]

yoni had never heard of Chris Lee either before this. Hell, I thought it was Count Dooku.

my kid loves star wars...