If all goes as planned, there will be a quick announcement at some point in today's House session which will give Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) some time to get help for his sexual internet activities, while at the same time avoiding calls to resign from the Congress.
At the end of legislative business, one of the House reading clerks will simply say:
"Leave of absence requested by Mr. Weiner."
Sometimes you'll get a range of dates; maybe in the Congressional Record it might say what the absence is for.
The bureaucratic manner in which it will be announced belies the turmoil going on in the halls of Congress, as Democratic leaders made a coordinated effort this weekend to push Weiner out, though he ignored what was an extremely unusual broadside attack on a single lawmaker by top Democrats in the House on Saturday.
"Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in a statement issued over the weekend.
"I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress.”
"We have made clear that he needs to resign, he needs to focus on getting his own personal issues in order, focus on his family, and do the right thing," said Democratic Party Chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schulz of Florida said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press.
But instead of exiting Stage Right, Weiner left the Big Apple for some kind of psychiatric rehab help, as few fellow Democrats stood by him in the wake of stories about his internet activities involving women, sexual chat and photographs that left little to the imagination.
For Democrats, Weiner's decision not to be on Capitol Hill when the House returns to work today was welcome, though they would like to be rid of the New Yorker entirely, as his troubles have been totally overshadowing their party's agenda for over two weeks.
And that will continue for at least the start of the work week today in Washington, D.C.
The never-ending saga of Weiner jumped ahead another notch or two on Sunday as well, as more photos of the Congressman emerged on the internet - photos that he took of himself in the mirror at the Congressional Gym, and evidently sent to at least one woman.
The existence of the photographs were first reported by TMZ.com - which is all the evidence that Democrats need to remind them of how their political agenda has been thrown off the side of the cliff by Weiner's escapades.
Whether that's right or wrong isn't the point - that's just the way it is.
This story will start to fade this week, as long there aren't even more photographs of the disgraced New York Congressman.
Long term, Weiner could still stay on in the Congress, even with Democratic leaders demanding his resignation.
We'll see what happens.
