Nightly News   |  February 09, 2011

GOP Rep. Lee resigns amid Craigslist scandal

Rep. Christopher Lee (R-N.Y.) resigned suddenly on Wednesday after supposedly sending a shirtless image of himself to a woman in response to a Craigslist dating ad. NBC's Capitol Hill Correspondent Kelly O'Donnell reports.

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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: We have breaking news tonight from Capitol Hill in Washington . A member of Congress has suddenly resigned in a highly personal e-mail and photo scandal. Let's go to our Capitol Hill correspondent Kelly O'Donnell for an update tonight. Kelly , good evening.

KELLY O'DONNELL reporting: Good evening, Brian . This was incredibly abrupt. Within hours after the scandal broke, the western upstate New York Republican Chris Lee is out. Now, a Web-based gossip site had published a story today that said that Lee had sent a shirtless photo of himself to a woman that he had made contact with through the site Craigslist .

O'DONNELL: Now, Congressman Lee , who is married and a father, immediately made a decision to step down. He sent word to his colleagues on the House floor today in a message that was read by the clerk.

Unidentified Man: "I hereby give notice of my resignation from the United States House of Representatives ."

O'DONNELL: Lee also put out a written statement saying that he regrets the harm that his actions have caused his family, his staff and constituents. He apologized for what he called profound mistakes. Now, earlier today it was business as usual when Congressman Lee , a two-term congressman, was appearing at a hearing. Aides to Speaker Boehner would not comment on any conversations John Boehner may have had with Lee and just said that Congressman Lee chose to

resign himself. Brian: Kelly O'Donnell on the Hill

WILLIAMS: