Pembroke Pines' U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who chairs the Democratic National Commitee, held a press conference Saturday to call for fellow Rep. Anthony Weiner's resignation in the wake of his underwear photo scandal.
"It is with great disappointment that I call on my colleague Anthony Weiner to resign," she said while reading a 30-second statement.
"The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Rep. Weiner's continued service in Congress is untenable."
Weiner, 46, has requested a short leave of absence to seek professional help after confessing last week that he lied about sending a lewd photo to a 21-year-old woman that was mistakenly posted to his official Twitter account.
The married New York congressman, whose wife is pregnant, also admitted to exchanging sexually explicit messages and phone calls with women he met online, but has said he will not resign.
That the DNC chairwoman has now joined the chorus will not help his case.
"This sordid affair has become an unacceptable distraction for Rep. Weiner, his family, his constituents and the House," she said.
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Wasserman Schultz, who represents Florida's Fort Lauderdale-based 20th Congressional District, had previously declined to call for Weiner's resignation.
Her statement was made the day after Weiner acknowledged he had exchanged messages with a 17-year-old high school student in Delaware, though he said they were not innapropriate.
"For the good of all, he should step aside and address those things that should be most important - his and his family's well being," she concluded, without taking any questions from reporters in order to "return to my constituents."
