Christopher Lee (R., NY): The Craigslist Congressman UPDATE: Congressman Lee Resigns

Apparently Congressman Christopher Lee thought this would be a good idea:

Rep. Christopher Lee is a married Republican congressman serving the 26th District of New York. But when he trolls Craigslist’s “Women Seeking Men” forum, he’s Christopher Lee, divorced “lobbyist” and “fit fun classy guy.”

Safe-for-work-but-still disturbing photos, and details, at the link.

Update: Multiple sources are reporting that Lee has resigned, effective immediately. Here’s the press release:

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Western New York. I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness.

“The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately.”

Cook Lee was first elected in 2008, and re-elected last year.

FILED UNDER: Congress, US Politics,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Alex Knapp says:

    In fairness to Mr. Lee, his website does not contain anything about traditional or family values. So this is just good, clean fun. Right?

  2. How dumb can a person be?

  3. Steve,

    Your answer:

    Suppose you were an idiot, then suppose you were a Member of Congress. But I repeat myself. — Mark Twain

  4. sam says:

    “Cook was first elected in 2008, and re-elected last year.”

    Who Cook?

  5. mantis says:

    Aww, Saruman, we hardly knew ya.

  6. legion says:

    Wow. This is clearly one of those generational “duh” moments – people under a certain age realize that _anything_ you put on the ‘net has the potential to get _everywhere_ on the ‘net, and other people don’t.

    In honor of the fact that Lee seems to have immediately realized he was toast & left of his own accord, rather than proclaiming his (obviously bogus) innocence from every rooftop, I will forego the usual Repub-bashing.

  7. PD Shaw says:

    legion, you’re the man. The “Christopher Lee” angle seems to have so many biting puns yet to be written.

  8. sam says:

    I heard last night that ex-Rep Lee has established the record for the shortest length of time from breaking of scandal to resignation of a serving member in the history the US Congress. Surely that must count for something.

  9. Steven Plunk says:

    It’s nice to see a guy realize he screwed up and take his medicine immediately rather than be dragged out while screaming his innocence. The rest of Congress should take note.

  10. Axel Edgren says:

    So, finally a republican congressman who doesn’t look like a jowly, boring potato and he has to go because he doesn’t pretend marriage is The Cornerstone of Blablabla?!

    That’s pathetic. I like the idea of a republican being punished, but not over something like this.