Weiner chat partner Sydney Leathers felt 'manipulated'
Updated at 5:32 p.m. ET on 7/25
(CNN) – The woman who exchanged the sexually explicit messages that have thrown Anthony Weiner's New York City mayoral campaign into damage control mode said Thursday the former congressman deceived her when he contacted her online.
"I felt manipulated," Sydney Leathers told the television program "Inside Edition." "Obviously I felt like he's saying one thing to me, another thing to his wife, saying another thing on the campaign trail. I don't know who the real Anthony Weiner is I guess."
Later, Leathers claimed Weiner became "controlling" toward the end of their online relationship.
"He would tell me that he would be jealous," Leathers said. "He would look at my Facebook frequently. He would tell me that he would get jealous if other men would compliment me. Just little stuff like that."
Weiner's campaign declined to comment on the interview with Leathers.
READ MORE: Weiner's poll numbers tumble
The messages between Weiner and Leathers – some of which included lewd photographs of Weiner - came to light Tuesday on the gossip website TheDirty. The site claimed Weiner vowed to purchase a condominium for Leathers in Chicago, as well as secure her a place on a panel for political bloggers.
A friend of Leathers told CNN on Wednesday the 23-year-old Indiana native was a strong supporter of the New York politician even after he resigned from Congress amid similar circumstances two years ago.
READ MORE: Pelosi blasts Weiner: Do your therapy in private
Leathers actively posts about politics and her Democratic views on Facebook, and had previously included Weiner in a list of political heroes.
She said in the "Inside Edition" interview she was blown away that the former congressman would revert to the behavior that led to his resignation from Congress in 2011.
"I was shocked because I didn't think he would be so foolish as to do the same thing all over again," she said. "He was making these campaign promises that he had totally changed, and he was a better man now, and he learned from his mistakes, and I have proof that that was not true."
Leathers "cared" about Weiner, she said, and knew that he wanted her to erase any evidence of their "very sexual" conversations.
But now, as their conversations have come to light, Leathers no longer sees Weiner in quite the same way.
Asked by "Inside Edition" correspondent Jim Moret whether Weiner was trying to "pull one over" on voters, Leathers replied, "Absolutely."
"Otherwise he wouldn't have went on the whole 'I'm a changed man, I've learned my lesson, I wouldn't have said those things' if he wasn't trying to be someone he wasn't," she said.
Her verdict of Weiner now? She recalled a description the politician used about himself in one of their conversations.
"The exact wording was that he was an argumentative, perpetually horny middle aged man," she said. "And at the time, I was like, 'Oh no, you're not.' But yes, he is."
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Nice lipstick, but I wouldn't trust anybody who wears that particular color.
I hope this clown stays in the Mayoral race and gets CRUSHED in the primaries. CRUSHED as in 'fewer votes than Mickey Mouse.' Maybe then he'll finally realize that he's an irrelevant buffoon whose 15 minutes of fame expired an hour ago...
I would bet good money that he was set up and she was paid big bucks to take him down.
What a Jerry Springer type of society we live in that we want to hear from someone on the net about what someone else on the net told her. Please, lets take the high road and worry about something more substantial and relevant that affects our lives than this trash.
The man was still doing the same thing to you and you waited this long to say anything? I'm thinking you were the controlling one, to the point of essentially extortion .
you are all bunch of hypocrites....what Weiner did so different that other people doing ( occasionally or more or less often ) and still think of themselves as good , decent citizens ?He find't kill , raped or robbed somebody or did some other real crimes .Whatever he did in his private life is none of your buissnes .And as politician , he is note worth or better than his collecs .
No fury like a woman scorned ...
Anyone who votes for Weiner chooses to be deceived.
Well, that's 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Thank goodness I browsed elsewhere during the ad. How is this news? Why is this worthy?
Why is this such a big news, obviously the guy wanted some fun and get over it and lets go the more critical news.
She enjoyed it and is a trouble maker.
This chick is full of it. I wonder how much CNN paid her to talk to them. People will say anything about anyone these days for $$ and/or their 15 minutes. Weiner probably has 4 more just like this one waiting to get their turn.
I would be willing to bet this Ms. Leathers was being paid by some conservative group
CNN –
You are fast becoming America's online tabloid.
Stop. It.
Weiner, Filner (San Diego Mayor), Clinton (not Hillary) – what do they have in common?
ladies: if you must wear make up, please make sure it look good. less is more, and pink lipstick is definitely LESS. egads.
When is Gloria Alred going to be representing this "poor" girl?
She is looking for money now.
Funny how Nancy Pelosi c/o how discusting this against women but she seems to forget that it takes 2 to tango. She new what she was doing also.
Imagine that, being on an anonymous chat site coming away being manipulated? How does Leather (is that another screen name?) think Weiner's wife feels? Danger and Leather, too good to be true.
GROSS!
EEP–she should really try a different lipstick color.
She all of a sudden felt manipulated? What a joke. I think she all of a sudden felt a large pay day coming from the news media.
This is absolutely garbage journalism! Your "news" editors should be ashamed! Are you really featuring something from Inside Edition as if it is real journalism? Absolutely unbelievable and bush league!
I am so sick an tired of these women playing dumb and acting like victims. They willingly engage in these activities with married men and cry about it later. They, obviously, just want their 5 minutes of fame and the idiot media gives it to them. The only victim here is his wife and she apparently doesn't care for she puts up with it. End of story, nothing else to see here.
She didn't need to do this....Weiner is an out of control perv, but this gal is pure evil. inside edition on day 2 of the story? Wow, girl sure loves to get paid...
Weiner is the narcissist in this story?? BS