New York in recent years has emerged as something of a hub for reckless politicians who risk their power, families and reputations for sex.

NEW YORK -- Add Rep. Anthony Weiner to the growing list of New York politicians caught in headline-grabbing sex scandals. The disclosure by the married seven-term Democrat that he sent raunchy texts and photos to several women online placed him in a rogue's gallery of Empire State elected officials better known for their sexual shenanigans than legislative accomplishments.
Weiner's confession this week came just four months after an upstate New York lawmaker, Republican Rep. Chris Lee, stepped down after shirtless photos he sent to a woman he met on Craigslist were published online. A Democrat, Kathy Hochul, won a special election to replace Lee, and Democrats hailed the victory as a turning point for the party following its drubbing in the 2010 midterm elections.
But since the photo of a man's bulging underpants was sent on Weiner's Twitter account nearly two weeks ago, the "Weinergate" controversy has dominated the news and distracted attention from Democrats' efforts to slam Republicans for proposing deep cuts to welfare. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi formally requested an ethics probe to determine whether Weiner broke House rules, while other Democrats have stayed largely silent on his plight.