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One of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s top aides Huma Abedin has reportedly said she is leaving her husband Anthony Weiner following another sex scandal resembling the one that caused him to resign from Congress five years ago.
“After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband,” Abedin said in a statement to the press.
“Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life,” she said. “During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy.”
The top Clinton aide said she is afraid the story will shine a negative light on the Democratic nominee’s presidential campaign, of which she is vice chair of.
A New York Post story late on Sunday reported Weiner had recently sent racy photographs of his genitals while in bed with their toddler to a woman on Twitter.
The photos were one of many sent between the woman and Weiner in months-long exchanges between the two. According to the New York Post report, most of the messages were sexual in nature.
Weiner’s first sex scandal came in 2011 when he accidentally posted an explicit photo of himself on his Twitter timeline instead of via direct message to a woman. It caused him to resign as representative of his New York City district.
The second time Weiner was exposed for inappropriate photographs was two years later, in July of 2013 while running for Mayor of New York City. The leaked photographs were intended for a woman in Indiana under the pseudonym “Carlos Danger.”
Weiner confessed to having undergone therapy after the first sexting scandal. Since then, Weiner has spent time focusing on taking care of his son while his wife worked on Clinton’s campaign.
New York City native and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said of Weiner, “Huma is making a very wise decision. I know Anthony Weiner well, and she will be far better off without him.”
However, Trump also expressed concerns regarding Weiner’s proximity to highly classified information. “Who knows what he learned and who he told? It’s just another example of Hillary’s bad judgment.”
The Clinton aide and the former Congressman have reportedly been separated for over eight months, “heading on a path apart,” according to sources close to the family.
Abedin has been working with Hillary Clinton for over two decades, starting as an intern in 1990 during the presidential nominee’s time as first lady. Additionally, she was personal aide to Clinton during her successful 2000 campaign for United States Senate.
Abedin also worked on Clinton’s first unsuccessful bid for the White House against President Barack Obama in 2008. Additionally, she has served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. State Department. Abedin is currently the vice chair of Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Sources: Reuters, CNN, The New York Post.
