Ohio Rep Gives Weiner Campaign Money to Charity

Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio, appears to be the first member to distance themselves financially from tainted Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y. Her re-election campaign will make a $1,000 donation to Cleveland and Akron-area charities to purge money donated by the congressman's "Friends of Weiner" campaign committee.

The National Republican Congressional Committee released a statement earlier Tuesday asking if Sutton and a dozen other representatives who had received money from the congressman would return the money and "decisively condemn Weiner's outrageous behavior."

Sutton originally received the donation on April 23, 2010.

A spokesman for Sutton says Honor Flight Canton Akron, which provides trips for local veterans to war memorials in Washington, DC, will get half of the money and the rest will go to Access, a homeless shelter for women and children in Summit County, Ohio.

Though the three-term lawmaker breezed to reelection in 2010, Sutton may face a tougher reelection fight this time around, as the Buckeye State is set to lose two seats to redistricting. One of those is expected to come from northeastern Ohio, an area which Sutton represents.

In 2010, several Democratic lawmakers returned donations from Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., after he became embroiled in an ethics scandal. It remains to be seen whether other lawmakers will attempt to distance themselves financially from Weiner as well.