Rep. Chris Lee of New York abruptly resigned Wednesday evening,hours after a gossip Web site reported that the married Republicanhad allegedly sent flirtatious e-mail messages and a shirtless photoof himself to a woman he met online.
Lee experienced his fall from grace in a single afternoon, undoneat the speed of the digital age. At lunchtime Wednesday, he was anobscure but promising second-term congressman. Then, at 2:33 p.m.,the Web site Gawker posted an alleged e-mail exchange between a manwho used Lee's name - but identified himself as a divorced lobbyist -and an unidentified woman. Gawker reported that the two had metthrough the personals section of Craigslist.
After that, the familiar cycles of a Washington sex scandal werecompressed into a blur of tweets and news alerts. There wasconfusion, a hint of denial, then a pledge from Lee to "work it out"with his wife.
By 6 p.m., a clerk was announcing Lee's resignation in the Housechamber.
"I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, mystaff and my constituents," Lee said in a statement. "I deeply andsincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and Ipromise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness."
Lee's statement did not confirm or deny any specific allegationsfrom the Gawker report.
Lee, 46, elected from a district in western New York, was justbeginning his second term in Congress. He had been a successfulbusinessman and was known as an up-and-coming Republican voice onfinancial issues.
This term, he was given a coveted spot on the Ways and MeansCommittee, which writes tax laws. That was considered a quick risefor a new House member and a sign that he had backers in the GOPestablishment.
"Clearly, that doesn't come without somebody loving yousomewhere," New York Republican consultant Mike Collins said.
In New York, Lee was known for bringing his wife and young son tocampaign events. He had a mostly conservative record during his timein Congress, though on a number of issues he broke with his party;he recently voted with Democrats on an overhaul of the nation's food-safety system and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Republican consultant Jim Derderian, who worked with Lee onmanufacturing and technology issues, said he had a rare talent fordeconstructing complex subjects.
"It's a loss to Congress in that respect, because he showed anability that not many have," Derderian said. "I think it's a shamethat that type of perspective - combined with energy - is no longerat our disposal."
The Gawker report cited an account from a woman, whom the sitedid not name, who said she posted an ad last month on Craigslist's"women seeking men" forum. In the ad, she said she was looking for"financially & emotionally secure" men who don't "look like toads."
That same day, she allegedly received a response from a personwho said his name was Christopher Lee, describing himself as a 39-year-old lobbyist, "a very fit fun classy guy. Live in Cap Hillarea. 6ft 190lbs blond/blue."
In follow-up e-mails, the man allegedly attached photos - one ofhimself in a blue polo, the other shirtless. Both of the images beara significant resemblance to Lee. In its posting, Gawker said thewoman cut off the electronic conversation and contacted Gawker aftershe did an online search for Lee and "concluded he'd lied about hisage and occupation."
Gawker said it had confirmed that the e-mail address used to sendthe messages belonged to Lee.
If the e-mails were sent by Lee, he created a scandal made forthe Internet. The allegations were not conveyed in whispers or courtaffidavits, wrapped up in charges and countercharges. They wereconveyed in a photograph of a man making a muscle in a mirror. Lee'sproblems spread as fast as it took to hit "Forward."
His office first responded, according to Gawker, by saying thatthe only things Lee had posted online had to do with selling oldfurniture, and suggesting that Lee's e-mail account had been hacked.
Then, later in the afternoon, a Fox News reporter caught Leegoing to his car. "I have to work this out with my wife," he said.
Now, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) must call a specialelection to fill Lee's seat, which is expected to remain inRepublican hands.
On Wednesday, the news moved so quickly that many people back inwestern New York heard about the resignation before they heard therewas a scandal. It left Lee's constituents shocked and scrambling forchoices to replace him.
"I think he's blossomed over the last two years," said RichardYolevich (R), a county legislator in Monroe County. "He was a lotquieter at first. Now, he seems to know - or he seemed to know -what was going on."
"He's an absolute gentleman. I'm shocked. I'm disapppointed,"Yolevich said in a phone interview. "My wife's sitting right here.We're both disappointed."
fahrenthold@washpost.com blakea@washpost.com
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