US Democrat Representative Anthony Weiner has resigned from Congress following an internet sex scandal.
"I'm here to apologise for the personal mistakes I have made," Mr Weiner told a news conference in New York. "The distraction that I have created" led him to announce his resignation "so my colleagues can get back to work," Mr Weiner said.
Fellow congressional Democrats had pressured him to quit the House of Representatives and spare the party further embarrassment after he admitted sending lewd photos of himself to a number of women.
"I had hoped to be able to continue the work that the citizens of my district had elected me to do - to fight for the middle class and those struggling to make it," Mr Weiner told reporters today.
"Unfortunately, the distraction that I have created has made that impossible, so today I am announcing my resignation from Congress," he said looking composed in contrast to 10 days ago when he tearfully admitted to having online dalliances.
Once seen as a rising star among Democrats and widely expected to run for New York City mayor, Mr Weiner made his announcement alone, his wife absent, at a raucous event at which he was heckled repeatedly.
"I got into politics to help give voice to the many who simply did not have one. Now I will be looking for other ways to contribute my talents," he said.
US president Barack Obama, Democrats and Republicans had increased pressure on Mr Weiner in recent days to quit, saying the scandal had become a distraction on Capitol Hill.
The New York Times said Mr Weiner made the decision to resign after discussions with his wife Huma Abedin when she returned home from a trip to Africa with her boss, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
He becomes the third member of the US Congress this year to step down because of a sex scandal.
Mr Weiner denied for more than a week that he sent a close-up photo of himself in boxer briefs to a woman in Seattle on May 28th, claiming his Twitter account had been hacked. But on June 6th, he tearfully admitted he had lied and that he had inappropriate exchanges with six women, some after he was married.
The New York congressman said he would seek treatment and was granted a "short leave" of absence from the House.
The latest pictures to surface on Sunday were of a scantily clad Mr Weiner in the congressional gym - raising the possibility of House ethics violations.
Mr Weiner (46), has been married less than a year to Ms Abedin (35). Former president Bill Clinton officiated at their wedding last July.
Democrats feared Mr Weiner had become a political liability to their efforts to win back the House from Republicans in next year's elections. He also had been seen as a strong contender for New York mayor in 2013.
Mr Obama ramped up pressure on Weiner to resign on Tuesday. "He's embarrassed his wife and his family. . . . If it was me, I would resign," he told NBC.
Meanwhile, a porn actress said last night that Mr Weiner asked her to lie about their email relationship in the hope the internet sex scandal surrounding him would die down.
Ginger Lee, who is also a stripper, said her exchanges with the Democrat began with political discussions of abortion rights and healthcare but Mr Weiner kept trying to sexualise the conversation. She said she never reciprocated his lewd messages.
"He asked me to lie about our communication," Ms Lee told a news conference in New York, flanked by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred. "I knew I couldn't lie for him, but I didn't want to be the one who kicked him under the bus."
"I think that Anthony Weiner should resign because he lied. He lied to the public and the press for more than a week," she said. "If he lied about this, I can't have much faith in him about anything else."
Agencies