Anthony Weiner is a prominent Democratic member of Congress Married New York congressman Anthony Weiner has admitted sending a close-up picture of his underpants to a young woman, but says he will not resign.
The Democratic representative also acknowledged a series of “inappropriate conversations” with women online.
Mr Weiner had initially said his Twitter account had been hacked when a photo of a man’s crotch was sent from it last week.
On Monday he admitted that was not true, saying that he had “panicked”.
A tearful Mr Weiner told a news conference he was “deeply ashamed of my terrible judgement”.
“I’m deeply regretting what I have done and I’m not resigning,” he said.
“The picture was of me and I sent it.”
He said his online exchanges with six women had occurred before and after he married Huma Abedin, a top aide to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, last year.
But he said he had not had physical relationships with the women and had never had sex outside his marriage.
His admission came on the same day a conservative blogger posted what purported to be photos of Mr Weiner without his shirt on.
Conservative provocateur Andrew Brightbart said he had obtained the photos from a woman with whom Mr Weiner had flirted online.
Mr Weiner, a native New Yorker and former New York City Council member, is known for his outspoken liberal views and his fiery speeches on the floor of the US House of Representatives.
He was widely expected to run for New York mayor in 2013.
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