The Daily Mail is reporting today that Anthony Weiner told Porn Star Miss Ginger Lee to lie about their elicit messages and offered PR help in return.  But where was his own PR when he was denying he sent very personal pictures of his privates via his Twitter account the past few weeks?

Only a few days ago, Congressman Weiner reportedly emailed Lee, ‘The key is to have a short, thought out statement that tackles the top line questions and then refer people back to it. ‘Have a couple of iterations of: “This is silly. Like so many others, I follow Rep. Weiner on Twitter. I don’t know him and have never met him. He briefly followed me and sent me a dm saying thank you for the follow.” That’s it,” according to the Daily Mail.

But reporter and the American public are not so easily deceived and Congressman Weiner did not benefit from his own advice.  Last week he repeatedly pooh pooh-ed the situation, telling the American public time and again, “I was hacked;” “Photos can be manipulated,” and asserting he could not take claim of the pictures as “his own”.

His actions are being called “stupid” on many levels.  First, for doing something as inappropriate and just plain dumb as sending incriminating photos over the Internet (where data can live forever, and doing it, arguably, during government time and with government resources).  And second for lying to the American public.  Now Mr. Weiner can be viewed by many not only as a hyper sexed cheater and sender of inappropriate messages, but also a liar.

Why do so many politicians cheat when they know, or at least should, that their lives are in the public eye?  Former President Clinton, Arnold Schwartzenger, John Edwards, it’s alleged even John F. Kennedy had an affair with Marilyn Monroe.  And why do so many lie about it?

While it is true that no one wants to admit something as embarrassing as a secret or tawdry affair with one, or many, the repercussions of not coming clean can often be worse, as Congressman Weiner may be finding out as he is being asked to step down today.  Reporters don’t like to be challenged and the American public is usually pretty good at seeing through a bad situation.  Both eventually make sure that the truth comes out anyway.  It’s best to not do it in the first place.  And always tell the truth