Donna Brazile: Weiner's credibility gutted

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- A renewed call for the resignation of U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., was made Sunday by Donna Brazile, vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

Speaking on ABC's "This Week" news program, Brazile said the scandal that's erupted over Weiner's admission to sending explicit pictures of himself to several women rendered him a lame political entity in Congress.

Brazile said Weiner's "effectiveness as a lawmaker is now diminished by this scandal," and he can't maintain his role of fighting the Republicans' budget proposals.

"His constituents deserve a full-time member who is focused on jobs and the economy, not somebody focused on whether or not he exposed himself or overexposed himself to someone on the Internet," she said.

Brazile's condemnation came a day after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who heads the Democratic National Committee, said it was time for Weiner to resign.

A spokesman for Weiner said the congressman has requested a short leave of absence from his duties to seek professional counseling.