Ellison Endorses Anthony Weiner for NYC Mayoral Race

Rep. Keith Ellison on Thursday became the first person to endorse former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner for New York City mayor.

Ellison offered an unsolicited endorsement of Weiner when Bill Press asked him about Weiner on Current TV's Bill Press Show.

Weiner was a New York congressman from 1999 until 2011. He resigned in disgrace after he was found to have sent a lewd photo to a 21-year-old female college student. Weiner initially denied that he had done that and suggested that someone had hacked into his account.

He said last week that he's considering a run for New York mayor.

In Thursday’s interview, Ellison said that “nobody here is perfect” and that Weiner “was a great congressman.”

"Anthony is a good guy in my opinion." Ellison said. "Now, he should’ve came clean once he got busted, you know, and I’m sorry he didn’t do that -- but he’s sorry he didn’t do that, and his wife's sorry he didn’t do that."

Militant recruitment

Ellison, who recently visited Somalia, told Voice of America that militant groups like al-Shabab appear to have stopped recruiting young Somali-Americans.

Federal officials say that about two dozen Somali men have left Minnesota since 2007 to join al-Shabab. Ellison acknowledged that recruitment could still be happening since it takes place in secret, but he said he’s not aware of any recent cases.