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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Deceiving voters? That would make him the perfect politician.
He is just so beyond creepy. He needs to get of the mayoral race and get some serious psychiatric help.
I can't believe these interviewers aren't calling her out on her b.s.
True true...americans love their perverts
Oh please. They know what they are doing. They play along with the "nasty game" but when it gets exposed, they are innocent victims. They could at the start stop it but don't. Then when it all comes out they come out. They are NOT victims, they are media divas, wanting their 15 minutes of fame
Come on girl! You went along with it and now you are shocked? Are you a relative of Monica Lewinsky???
Weiner may be trying to deceive the voters, but an approval poll of about 30% indicates that he is failing . . . miserably.
He and this Leathers woman are both pigs; I'd be satisfied not to ever have to see either one of them on the "news" again, but that is apparently what the gist of the American people expect from their "journalists."
Kind of makes a person think if she wasn't actually paid to pitch for the other team, and I don't mean becoming a lesbian either. haha. Even though he wasn't a perfect little angel, name one person who isn't the devil in politics. lol.
As with Clinton, you have to wonder why he'd risk it all for a woman who isn't even attractive.
Yeah, what kind of weirdo does not shoot down a celebrity when they get hit on. Being ugly doesnt give you the moral high ground though. She did something naive that most 22 year olds would. Clearly they are both in the wrong, but you guys are acting like she targeted him for money. He picked her, and he is the one who is married. Politicians have done, and will do much worse things. Usually I defend politicians who do not get arrested, but he really just does not seem to have learned anything.
That lipstick says it all
I hope karma visits Leathers, so she can one day feel the painful gravity of infidelity when she is a married woman. Maybe THAT will wipe the smug fuschia smile off of her face. Huma Abedin deserves MUCH better than her narcissistic and juvenile husband.
Why would the voters want to be used in Anthony's erotic play for an elected office.
The voters might as well be his centerfold.
This is complete non – sense. She said 'She was a strong supporter for Weiner in Politics and blog about him' but ironically she was unable to recognize him in the nude photos. Instead of interviewing this con-girl, just put her in jail. It should be a lesson to all blackmailing morons.
I see the media paid her the money she wanted..
Guess your not getting paid now.Your nothin but a snitch and i assume you'll be treated as such.Glad im not in your shoes loose lips.
II'm sure it was all OK when they were both texting away and having so much fun. I bet she didn't feel manipulated everytime she pushed the send button and then breathlessly awaited the next text. Why the media doesn't know this and chooses to throw this garbage in our faces and give this knob oxygen, well that's what the media does doesn't it. It's not a case of reporting news any more but filling their super busy and self relevant 24 hour news cycle.
Interesting lipstick color choice for her first on-camera interview.
Ok folks – its time to take a cold shower – beat your head against the wall or whatever it takes to wake up and see what has just happened. You have a mayoral candidate that has just admitted he found the time to sneak into the whatever room was beside his pregnant wife as she was sleeping and log in to a creepy web site as 'Carlos Danger' – do I really have to say more?
The "Honorable" mayor of New York ??? I think he should become a proctologist helper.
She seems to be out for vengeance.
Why don't you put on some more makeup, honey? Oh my gawd!
It's pretty sad to see Weiner self destruct TWICE.
Who cares
LOL
You go after a married man and are surprised you get manipulated? HAHA
Wow, she just wants the fame and doesn't have much going on upstairs.
What's up with that attention seeking lipstick, it says everything we need to know about her. Save it for the club, not a freakin national interview.