THE US CONGRESSMAN who posted semi-naked pictures of himself to women he met on social networking websites intends to step down according to numerous reports.

Congressman Anthony Weiner has been under pressure to resign ever since he admitted to posting a picture of his covered genitals on Twitter as well as engaging in inappropriate contact with a number of other women over social networking websites.

The New York Times reports that the Democratic congressman from New York has told friends he intends to resign following lengthy discussions with his wife, Huma Abedin, a close advisor to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Associated Press is also reporting the story.

The 46-year-old one time favourite to be the next mayor of New York had been under pressure to resign from a variety of people in his party with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and other senior members of his party calling on him to step down.

There were also reports that Weiner was about to be removed from his congressional committee assignments, a severe blow to his reputation and effectiveness on Capitol Hill.

Last Sunday, it was revealed that Weiner would be entering a rehabilitation facility to allow him to “focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person.”

Weiner also had to weather a storm when it emerged that he had exchanged Twitter messages with a 17-year-old girl although he denied the messages were explicit.

Nine days ago, Weiner admitted in an extraordinary tear-stained press conference that he had several inappropriate relationships with women through social media, a week after he denied that he had sent a lewd picture of his genitals to his followers on Twitter.

He had a first claimed his account had been hacked only for growing pressure and further revelations to force him to admit to his indiscretions.

Yesterday, the porn star Ginger Lee claimed that Weiner had sent sexually explicit messages to her and then told her to lie about her ordeal, according to the New York Post.