Pelosi calls for Ethics investigation of Weiner

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is calling for the House Ethics Committee to investigate whether “any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred” in Rep. Anthony Weiner’s (D-N.Y.) admitted inappropriate contact with women via social media websites.

{mosads}”I am deeply disappointed and saddened about this situation; for Anthony’s wife, Huma, his family, his staff and his constituents,” Pelosi said in a statement responding to Weiner’s Monday press conference, in which he acknowledged sending inappropriate photographs to women through Facebook and Twitter. “I am calling for an Ethics Committee investigation to determine whether any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred.”

Weiner said he did not violate the law or House rules and that he was not resigning. He said he lied about his conduct for the last week to avoid the embarrassment of disclosure.

Pelosi’s call was joined immediately by Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Weiner’s colleague in the New York delegation.

“Congressman Anthony Weiner engaged in a deep personal failure and inappropriate behavior that embarrassed himself, his family and the House. Ultimately, Anthony and his constituents will make a judgment about his future,” Israel said. “To remove all remaining doubt about this situation, I agree with Leader Pelosi’s request that the House Ethics Committee use its authority to begin an investigation.”

Weiner said he would cooperate with an ethics investigation.

“I welcome and will fully cooperate with an investigation by the House Ethics Committee,” he said in a statement. “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents.”

A spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the Speaker had no comment on Weiner’s press conference.

In his press conference, Weiner denied using government equipment.

“My BlackBerry’s not a government BlackBerry; my home computer is usually where I did these things,” he said. “I don’t have a knowledge of every mass communication, but I don’t believe that I used any government resources.”

— Mike Lillis contributed.

— This story was last updated at 7:12 p.m.