The WeinerGate Plot Thickens: Weiner Lawyers Up! [Update 2: Weiner Compares Hacker to Heckler]

On May 30, 2011, in news, politics, by velvethammer

When I’m the victim of a crime I call the police, not my lawyer. If I had something to hide, on the other hand…

Is Weiner in hot water? Was the conservative blogosphere’s reaction to the WeinerGate scandal premature speculation? Or hard hitting analysis?

Out of the gate, the Weiner claimed #Hacked! While Team Weiner brushed off the incident as a “distraction“. Now Weiner simply describes it as a “silly prank“. A silly, distracting, hack prank. Cute. Federal crimes are now pranks. Gov’t official hacker wannabe’s near and far will be thrilled upon hearing this news.

Blustering, attention ho Weiner is tight lipped for what may be the first time in his entire political career.

New York Rep. Anthony Weiner has retained an attorney to advise him “what civil or criminal actions should be taken” after a lewd picture was sent from his Twitter account.

Weiner, who has represented part of New York City since 1998, says online hacking led to a close-up shot of a man’s underwear being sent from his official Twitter account Saturday night

[Correction: The incident occurred on Friday night -VH]

Dave Arnold, a spokesman for Weiner, said the Congressman’s staff is “loathe to treat” this incident as more than a prank “but we are relying on professional advice.”

“Weiner said in a statement emailed to POLITICO by his office.
…….
“This was a prank, and a silly one. I’m focused on my work.”

Weiner’s office did not answer specific questions about the photograph, whether he has contacted authorities or the Seattle woman who received the photograph. He has said that his Facebook was hacked and if his Twitter had the same password, that too could be vulnerable.

If? They do not know???

CLICK Me"...calling the police would only result in the classic horror movie reveal: We've traced the hack! And the hack is coming from... INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!" - Ace

What kind of fools do they take us for? The hacking of a US Congressman’s online account is no distraction, no prank. It is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. And they wonder why people are having a hard time swallowing the story.

Drew M. at Ace of Spades HQ has a few thoughts:

On second thought, perhaps I’m being too hard on Congressman Weiner. I mean every PSA I’ve ever seen about crimes always urges people that if you are the victim of a crime or see one committed you should immediately call the cops retain counsel to help you consider your options.

I bet the idiot who illegally accessed Palin’s emails wishes he’d picked on Weiner instead. She called the cops but apparently Weiner is more forgiving of being violated.

Admirable, just admirable. That Weiner, such a forgiving individual. Hurry someone put his name in the hat for sainthood.

Datatechguy cutting through the Weiner crap:

I don’t claim to be a law expert if I had a client that wanted advice on what to do if someone hacked my account, the legal conversation I would have would be in two sentences:

“Call the police, that will be $1000.”

H/T Robert Stacy McCain who adds:

The key point about Weiner’s retaining counsel and making noises about “civil or criminal actions” is that it permits the congressman to employ the old “ongoing legal proceedings” excuse not to talk about the case. Anyone who remembers the Clinton administration will be familiar with this tactic: “Oh, well, we’re exploring our legal options and aren’t at liberty to discuss an ongoing investigation.”

BTW McCain also has video of cool as a cucumber Weiner on CNN:

Notice how blithely dismissive Weiner is — not a hint of outrage — in this CNN interview:

See for yourself.

This entire ordeal has gone far beyond passing the smell test. Weiner and company have turned it into a big joke.

Why?

I repeat:

Until Weiner proves the hacking claim, he by all appearances knew Gennette Nicole Cordova well enough to have shared the dic-pic with her.

Update: Iowa Hawk announces his “Weiner Hacker Prize Fund”

Help Me Bring the Weiner Hacker to Justice

A taste

As much as I admire Congressman Weiner’s Gandhi-like forgiving attitude toward his assailant – as well as his world class ninja programming skills – I’m afraid this incident doesn’t just involve him. For, after all, what Internet user is safe when the person who hacked this unsuspecting Weiner remains at large? Okay, maybe not “large,” but still, come on man. Who’s to say this same criminal hasn’t somehow hacked my last 5 federal income tax returns with fraudulent deductions for alcohol-related blogging expenses?

I say no – we cannot as an online community let this tragic crime go unpunished. That it why I am announcing the Weiner Hacker Prize Fund to award a generous bounty for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of Pubic Enemy #1 – the pervert who stole Congressman Weiner’s underpants identity. To get things rolling, I will seed it with $1000 of my own personal 2010 federal tax refund.

READ it ALL

Update 2: Hecklers and hackers, sure I can see how a comparison could be drawn betwixt the two. Heh. This story is getting more ludicrous by the minute.

Rep. Anthony Weiner refused to answer questions outside his Capitol Hill office about how a photo of an underwear-clad erect penis ended up on his Twitter account over the weekend.

In a brief gaggle with reporters Tuesday, Weiner said he’s done talking about it and refused to say whether the photo was of him.

“I’m not going to talk about this anymore,” the New York Democrat said. “I think if I was giving a speech to 45,000 people, and someone stood up and heckled in the back, I wouldn’t spend three days talking to him. I’m going to get back to the conversation I care about.”

Un-freaking-believable.

Asked by The Daily Caller if he’s concerned about the seriousness of someone hacking into his account, as has been alleged, Weiner only said: “I’m going to return to working on the things I care about.”
……
A spokesman for the Capitol Police told TheDC they are not investigating the incident.

Weiner is one hell of a tap dancer.

Additionaly:

Still the most damning thing about all of this, is this.Â They have not called the police, but they have called a lawyer.Â And there is this damning part from a Daily Caller article:

Several questions still remain unanswered, however. For instance, TheDC has asked [Weiner spokesman Dave] Arnold at least four times if the man in the photo was Weiner. Arnold has not answered.

New York Daily Intel -Rep. Anthony Weiner Is Not Doing Himself Any Favors

Evading questions, however, is a strategy most often utilized by people with something to hide, and will only further pique the media’s interest. Weiner either has something to hide, or he has no idea how the media operates.

*Fun with Dick and Gennette by Maksim –The Peoples Cube

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Thank you!

Eric Odom at the 2012 Campaign Report links.

Doug Ross links.

Previously: