quote from
a boston.com news article:
Quote:
Cordova’s experience with Weiner appears to fit a pattern: In rapid and reckless fashion, he sought to transform informal online conversations about politics and policy into sexually charged exchanges, often laced with racy language and explicit images.
Cordova, who had text-messaged with Weiner, a New York Democrat, about their shared concern over his conservative critics, said she had never sent Weiner anything provocative. Asked if she was taken aback by Weiner’s decision to send the photo, she said, “Oh gosh, yes.’’
Cordova spoke to The New York Times as Weiner faced intensifying calls for his resignation because of his acknowledged online sexual communications with at least six women over a period of three years. . . .
The women who have acknowledged encountering Weiner on social media and then having personal communications with him varied in age, race, and location, and even in their willingness to engage the congressman in sexual discourse. But in each case Weiner’s online conduct in many ways mirrored that of his offline life — he was aggressive, blunt, feisty, and willing to push boundaries with an apparent disregard for the possible consequences.
The women came to his attention after he had come to theirs. Usually they were admirers of his scrappy progressive politics and youthful energy, and either posted an enthusiastic comment on his Facebook page or sent him an admiring Twitter message.
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He is another politician using his power to harrass women. Some of them were willing, but the unwilling were exposed to his aggressive advances. These were not women he met in an online dating site.
The Strauss-Kahn and the Georges Tron scandals are more comparable than the Vitter scandal. Vitter procured prostitutes if i recall. Clearly some of the women in communication with Weiner were harrassed. That's not rape, but it's non-consensual, and it's exploiting one's position of power. Seriously, those women were talking to him because of his position as a congressman. They weren't just striking up a chat relationship online and hoping to flirt.
What is interesting to me is that he didn't create a pseudo and troll for women in someplace like Second Life. He could have had many opportunities for online sexual chat. He used the fact that he is who he is to get those women's attention. He exploited their respect for a member of Congress.
A prostition scandal or a good old fashioned affair at least does not involve non-consensual sexual behavior.