Former New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner is set to be released from prison about three months earlier than initially scheduled, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.
In May 2017, Weiner pleaded guilty to one charge of transferring obscene material to a minor in federal court in Manhattan. The charges stem from communications that the former congressman had with a 15-year-old girl on social media sites between January and March 2016.
“This crime was my rock bottom,” Weiner said in court. “I have no excuse. … I victimized a young person who deserved better.”
Weiner was a prominent Democratic congressman before he resigned in 2011 following the release of sexually-charged, and sometimes explicit, text messages he exchanged with women other than his wife. During his run for New York City mayor in 2013, more sexually-explicit exchanges with other women were released before he was soundly defeated in that race.
Weiner’s estranged wife, Huma Abedin, was a top aide to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The federal investigation into Weiner ended up playing a critical role in the 2016 election when emails potentially relevant to the FBI’s investigation into Clinton’s email server surfaced on Weiner’s laptop. Former FBI Director James Comey announced the discovery of the emails less than two weeks before election day, only to conclude two days before the balloting that the emails changed nothing in the investigation. Democrats blame that announcement in part for Clinton’s loss.
Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, and reported to prison November 6, 2017. He is currently located at FMC Devens in Massachusetts.
His prison term of 21 months would have ended in August 2019, and this new release date is now set for May 14, 2019, according to the website.
“This projected release date includes credit for good conduct time earned and good conduct time that may be earned throughout the remainder of his sentence,” read a statement from the Bureau of Prisons to CNN.