Weiner asked her to lie about online chats, says ex-porn actress

NEW YORK — As U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., remained on leave from his job, a self-described dancer and former porn actress who was part of his sexting scandal emerged Wednesday and said the congressman had pressed her to lie about his online antics.

Ginger Lee read a statement describing an electronically driven relationship that lasted from March until two weeks ago, when Weiner admitted sending sexually charged messages and graphic photographs to various women. "I did not sext Anthony Weiner," said Lee, standing beside celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred.

Lee, of La Vergne, Tenn., said each time Weiner tried to steer her into prurient conversations, she "did not reciprocate." On June 2, Lee said, Weiner phoned her as speculation swirled about the origins of a graphic photograph sent from his Twitter account and about his online activities.

"He told me if neither of us said anything over the weekend, the story would calm down and die," said Lee, who described the "nightmare" of being directed by Weiner to cover up for him by issuing a statement denying the existence of racy emails, and then watching as he lied to the media and public.

There was no response from Weiner's spokeswoman to Lee's accusations.

After variously claiming his Twitter account had been hacked or that he had been the victim of an online hoax, Weiner, 46, admitted June 6 that he had sent the picture and had carried on Internet-based relationships with several women.

Allred said Lee called the news conference because she needed to come out of seclusion, clear up misconceptions about her behavior, "and resume her career as a feature dancer."

"What's a feature dancer?" asked one of scores of journalists packed into a room at a Manhattan club. "A feature dancer is a dancer who is featured," Allred replied after a brief pause. "She dances in clubs."

Lee did not directly respond to questions, instead deferring to Allred, who picked up a stack of papers that she said included printouts of some of the estimated 100 emails exchanged between Weiner and Lee. She read aloud from three sent by Weiner, all referring to his "package."

In one, Weiner indicated he and Lee had fans who found them sexually irresistible. While Lee only had to put up with gawkers, though, "I get dragged into long ... sessions at the corner bodega," Weiner wrote, according to Allred.

Although Allred and Lee said Lee came forward after receiving messages from someone who threatened to release an unauthorized statement in Lee's name, they did not provide details.

Weiner, who has taken a two-week leave from the House, was reportedly in treatment for an undisclosed disorder at an undisclosed location.

Weiner has told Democratic leaders that he would not make any decisions about his future until he could talk directly to his wife, Huma Abedin, who returned to Washington on Wednesday after traveling abroad with her boss, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

House Democratic leaders planned to meet Thursday to consider their next step in handling the scandal, a House aide said. They could decide to strip Weiner of his committee assignments and could take other actions to punish him.

Material from The Associated Press and The New York Times is included in this report.