U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York City is the latest politician brought down by demonstrating a monumental lack of judgment.

The political Twitter scandal that has enveloped the abrasive, aggressive U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, a 46-year-old New York City Democrat, provides proof once again that truth is stranger than fiction.

After nearly a week of lying through his teeth to almost everyone, including his staff, about his Internet proclivities, Weiner staged a bizarre news conference Monday tearfully announcing that he pursued strange women over the Internet and often exchanged sexually explicit conversations and photographs with them.

To say his behavior was foolish and self-destructive doesn't begin to describe the depths to which Weiner sunk. Naturally, despite disgracing himself on a worldwide scale, Weiner is refusing to resign, describing his behavior as regrettable but not illegal.

Somewhere along the line, politicians like Weiner have missed the point about what rises to the level of conduct sufficiently improper to justify resignation. There are many things that are reprehensible, but not illegal.

Self-absorbed pols like Weiner, who aspired to be mayor of New York City, don't see that.

But Weiner's fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill do, and they want him gone. No one is defending him because there is no defense for Weiner's embarrassing conduct.

Responding to a question about what he would do if Weiner called him to ask advice, U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, replied, "Call someone else." Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and friend of Weiner, has initiated an ethics investigation of Weiner's conduct.

It's not clear that Weiner violated any laws or ethical rules either in his conduct with the women or the mountain of lies he told in an effort to cover it up. But he certainly engaged in behavior that left him vulnerable to blackmail and destroyed any credibility he had as an advocate for his constituents.

What's more, all the shoes have not dropped. There's more news to come on Weiner's behavior.

He ought to leave and, if enough pressure is applied, he might. Weiner would be doing himself and everyone else a favor if he did.