In a shocking new post, this is the ad Gawker.com suggests  ex-Congressman Chris Lee posted on Craigslist in January.

However, almost by writer Remy Stern's own admission, holes could be poked into the "evidence" that Lee was seeking transgender and transvestite hook-ups through the free classified site. Yet, there's enough to the story that makes it hard to ignore.

Hardest to disregard is the new photo published by Gawker that seems to show a shirtless Lee posing in front of a mirror. It's very similar to an image Gawker published with the initial story about the married Lee allegedly trolling Craigslist for dates. Still, it's different enough in key ways, making makes it hard to believe it's a PhotoShop counterfeit.

Stern reports that the photo was submitted by a transvestite prostitute, whom Gawker calls "Holly."

"The first thing Holly sent us was a never-before-seen picture of Chris Lee's now-familiar torso and red Blackberry. She edited the picture to obscure the Congressman's face, however, and printed her e-mail address over his chest. (We have covered up the address in the photo above.)" If we wanted to publish the unedited image, Holly explained, we'd have to pay her for it."

As for the ad above, Stern claims that it came from a transgender woman who said she found the ad posted on Craigslist and later figured out that the person who posted it was allegedly Lee.

Read the whole thing and see what you think about the claims.

Several people contacted the campaign of Lee's Democratic opponent in 2008, Alice J. Kryzan, to say they had firsthand knowledge of Lee cheating on, or attempting to cheat on, his wife, two sources with knowledge of the campaign said.

Kryzan decided against pursuing the accusations because she didn't want to run a dirty campaign, the sources said.

Lee's alleged behavior reportedly drew the attention of House Majority Leader John Boehner. According to various reports, including the Buffalo News, Lee was allegedly behaving inappropriately toward female lobbyists. Boehner reportedly told Lee, "knock it off."

Boehner has told reporters that Lee resigned on his own with no pressure from leadership.

Politico reports that Lee's sudden departure caught the GOP by surprise.

House Speaker John Boehner and other top Republicans were unaware of the brewing scandal before Gawker posted the story early Wednesday afternoon, meaning party leaders were caught flat-footed when the controversy broke.

“Lee’s people tried to handle it internally,” a senior Republican aide said of Lee and his staff, adding that such a move was “a big mistake.”

Meanwhile, Lee's former staff is now under the supervision of Clerk of the House of Representatives. All of Lee's offices are remaining open to handle constituent matters.

Reaction in Genesee County to Lee's resignation and allegations from the Internet news site Gawker.com -- that Lee sent a shirtless picture of himself to a woman he met through Craigslist -- has been one of shock and disbelief.

County Legislator Ray Cianfrini said Lee was a guy he had high hopes for.

"From everything I could gather he was a rising star," Cianfrini said.

"He was appointed to Ways and Means in his second term, so obviously, he had some respect (in Washington), so for him to self-destruct like this is a real disappointment."

Legislator Jay Grasso said, "We all worked really hard for him, so I'm disappointed."

Dean Norton, president of the Farm Bureau, said Lee's departure from the House is a potential set back for the agriculture interests in New York, both because of Lee's quick rise in power and his expressed interest in the ag business.

"We were looking forward to to having an ally on the Ways and Means Committee who would bring ag funding issues to the forefront," Norton said.

Batavia's Town Supervisor Greg Post had a little bit different take.

Post heard a talk-show host complaining about the fall of another leader and Post said, "He's not my leader. He's my representative."

"My comment would be that I'm not surprised by the higher percentage of failures in elected positions," Post said. "It's an accurate representation of what our nation has evolved to over the past 50 years. This isn't the same country I grew up in."

We also asked for a comment from Elba's Bill Kauffman, writer and iconoclastic historian, author of nine books, including "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette," and  a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Here's Kauffman's response:

"For 20 years, Genesee County was represented in Congress by Barber B. Conable, a thoughtful, rooted, humane man who was exactly what the Founding Fathers had in mind. The series of Erie County hacks who have succeeded him -- Bill Paxon, Tom Reynolds, and now the Shirtless Wonder -- have been disgraces.

"I'd love to see a decent, honorable insurgent Republican from one of the rural counties take on whichever humdrum timeserver the GOP bosses choose. And I hope the Democrats run a vigorous populist instead of a suburban liberal who gets the shakes when he/she crosses the Pembroke town line."

UPDATE: Chris Lee released this statement:

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Western New York. I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness.

“The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately.”

Lee became caught up in a sex scandal today when New York City-based Gawker reported the the second-term congressman was apparently trolling Craigslist for women.

According to reporter Maureen O'Connor, Lee exchanged e-mails with a woman who placed a personal ad on Craigslist in the women-seeking-men category. Lee had told her he was divorced and a lobbyist, according to the report, and in the course of the e-mail exchange he sent along a shirtless picture himself.

The woman, according to Gawker, cut off correspondance with him after doing a little Google research and finding out who he really was. She then contacted Gawker thinking it was a 'humorous story."

There's no allegation in the story that Lee actually "hooked up" with that woman or any other woman through Craigslist.

UPDATE: Here's how the Washington Post reported it:

Lee experienced his fall from grace in a single afternoon, undone at the speed of the digital age. At lunchtime Wednesday, he was an obscure but promising second-term congressman. Then, at 2:33 p.m., the Web site Gawker.com posted an alleged e-mail exchange between a man who used Lee's name -- but identified himself as a divorced lobbyist -- and an unidentified woman. Gawker reported that the two had met through the personals section of Craigslist.

After that, the familiar cycles of a Washington sex scandal were compressed into a blur of tweets and news alerts. There was confusion, a hint of denial, then a pledge from Lee to "work it out" with his wife.

By 6 p.m., a clerk was announcing Lee's resignation in the House chamber.

Congressman Chris Lee voted today to cut federal spending back to at least 2008 budget levels to help return fiscal responsibility to Washington.

Lee voted for H. Res. 38, which instructs the House Budget Committee to implement spending levels set for 2008 for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year.

“The majority of the Western New Yorkers I’ve spoken with want Washington to get its fiscal house in order, and I’ve heard their calls loud and clear,” Lee said. “Today’s vote sends a message that the House will not continue the incredible spending binge that we’ve seen over the last few years.

"Every second that passes, Congress adds thousands of dollars onto an already record-high $14 trillion debt, and that needs to change.”

Non-defense discretionary spending – including the failed $787 billion “stimulus” bill – has increased 84 percent from 2008 through last year, while the national debt has soared from nearly $11 trillion in 2008 to more than $14 trillion today.

“Washington needs to get serious about cutting spending so future generations are not buried under a mountain of debt,” Lee said. “Cutting overall spending to 2008 levels is an important start to getting Washington to live within its means, just as Western New York families have always done.”

Congressman Chris Lee was chosen to serve as a co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus for the 112th Congress

Lee served as vice-chair during the 111th Congress until its adjournment last year. He will lead the caucus with fellow co-chairs Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Timothy Walz (D-MN), Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Thomas Petri (R-WI).

The bipartisan caucus works to aid dairy farmers across the United States, and last Congress worked closely with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on important issues affecting Western New York’s dairy farmers.

“Western New York has some of the finest family farms in the country, and since coming to Congress in 2009 I’ve been focused on ensuring our region’s agricultural producers have the resources they need to survive,” Lee said.

“Dairy farmers in particular have been hard-hit during the tough economic times, but they are a resilient group of families closely tied to the land they farm and the industry they love. I look forward to working with the other co-chairs and members of the Caucus who share my commitment to strengthening family farms for this and future generations.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Lee’s congressional district is the 22nd highest dairy producing district in the nation, with a market value nearing $500 million.

New York State as a whole produces about 12.5 billion pounds of milk each year. For more information on Congressman Lee’s commitment to Western New York’s dairy farmers, visit www.chrislee.house.gov/familyfarms <http://www.chrislee.house.gov/familyfarms>.

Congressman Chris Lee with New York Farm Bureau President and Genesee County resident Dean Norton, right, accepting an award from the American Farm Bureau for being a "Friend of the Farm Bureau." Lee announced the award this evening on Twitter.

Lee announced that he is holding a "Twitter Town Hall" today, and through his Twitter account @chrislee_ny26 he has said questions have already started flowing in.

Lee has 2,086 followers on Twitter.

People with or without Twitter accounts can follow the conversation through the hash tag #askchris.

People who ask questions of Lee should direct them to @chrislee_ny26 and tag them with #askchris.

Twitter has gained wide popularity around the world for its ability to allow friends and associates to quickly share information even though messages are limited to 140 characters.

In a press release, Lee's staff says the congressman has held some 30 town hall meetings during his first term either in person or by telephone. This is his first Twitter Town Hall meeting.

Lee's office also maintains accounts on YouTube, Facebook and Picasa.

Ways and Means is the chief committee for any revenue-related issues and reviews a broad range of legislation. It is among the most sought-after committee appointments in the house.

Members of Ways and Means are prohibited from serving on other congressional committees.

Lee is beginning his second term representing New York's 26th Congressional District.

Full press release after the jump:

Lee Appointed to Influential Ways and Means Committee Seat on Powerful Panel Gives Lawmaker Greater Voice to Help Strengthen the Economy and Create Jobs in Western New York and Across the Country

WASHINGTON – Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) today was appointed to the influential House Ways and Means Committee for the incoming 112th Congress. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Lee will play a greater role in efforts to jumpstart our economy and create jobs. Lee has served on the Financial Services Committee since coming to Congress last year.

The Ways and Means Committee is widely considered the most powerful committee in Congress and formulates the nation’s policies and laws on taxes, trade, welfare, Medicare, Social Security, unemployment benefits, and other important issues vital to both the short- and long-term economic security of our nation.

“I’m honored to have been selected to join my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee, and am committed to working with members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen the economy and get more of our neighbors back to work,” said Rep. Lee.

“As a businessman I know firsthand what it takes for small businesses to succeed and create jobs, and I look forward to working with Chairman Camp and my Democrat and Republican colleagues to continue the fight to allow hardworking Western New York taxpayers keep more of what they earn and get government off the backs of small businesses that are struggling to succeed.”

“I’d like to congratulate Chris Lee on being selected for the Committee on Ways and Means,” said incoming Chairman Dave Camp (MI-4). “Since coming to Congress last year, Chris has used his experience in the private sector to be a leader on a number of issues critical to job creation. I look forward to him serving on the committee and I know he will continue to serve his constituents well in this new role.”

Lee joins a long line of New York State Republicans to serve on the Ways and Means Committee, dating back to Congressmen Daniel A. Reed (1947-1959) in the modern era. Congressman Reed was followed by Congressmen Steven B. Derounian (1961-1965), Barber B. Conable (1967-1985), Raymond J. McGrath (1985-1993), Amo Houghton (1993-2005), and finally, Thomas M. Reynolds (2005-2009).

One of the issues Lee looks to immediately bring to the committee is a manufacturing agenda he has put forward to return highly skilled, well paying jobs back to the United States.

Lee’s “Manufacturing for Tomorrow” agenda takes a multi-pronged approach to solving America’s jobs crisis and strengthening manufacturing in Western New York. Putting our economy back on the right track will require an innovative, thoughtful and long-term approach to make America competitive again.

Congressman Lee’s 5-point jobs plan includes (1) a more competitive tax code, (2) improved education and training in engineering fields, (3) liability reform to curb job-killing lawsuit abuse, (4) ending customs red-tape and (5) creating U.S. jobs and expanding American-made exports through the opening of new markets.

Lee's appointment, approved today by the House Republican Steering Committee – a panel comprised of elected leadership, committee chairs, regional representatives and incoming first-term members – is expected to be ratified by the entire House Republican caucus in the coming days.

Representing the families and friends of victims in the attack on Pan Am Flight 103, Congressman Chris Lee and two other freshmen NY lawmakers are demanding an investigation into new allegations surrounding the release of the infamous Lockerbie bomber.

Lee and Reps. Michael E. McMahon (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) and Daniel B. Maffei (D-Syracuse) circulated a bipartisan "Dear Colleague" letter urging fellow members to sign onto their demand that the British Government immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the release of Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi.

The congressmen represent districts which suffered numerous losses when the aircraft exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988.

Recent reports have linked British Petroleum’s (BP) interest in securing a $900 million oil-and-gas exploration deal off Libya’s coast with al-Megrahi’s inclusion in a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya.

These allegations are incredibly concerning and are further complicated by reports that al-Megrahi remains in notably good health a year after being released on compassionate grounds for his terminal illness.

“Like most Americans, I was outraged by the release of the Lockerbie bomber, but the allegations that have recently surfaced really add insult to injury for the families of the victims,” McMahon said.

“If it turns out that an ally of the U.S. could have released this terrorist to further its own business opportunities, that country will not only have disgraced itself, it will have utterly disrespected the victims and their families for the most vile reasons. We deserve answers and the British Government needs to provide them immediately.”

Maffei said: “Central New York lost dozens of our own in the bombing of Pan AM Flight 103, so our community felt a particularly acute pain when Scotland released Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi last year. We are concerned that the U.K. may have released al-Megrahi because of lobbying from a private company.

"If that is the case, it is worse than an international embarrassment: it is an affront to justice, an insult to the victims who died in 1988, and a slight to the families who have dealt with that unimaginable pain for more than 20 years.”

Lee said: “Megrahi’s release was outrageous and an insult to the families of his victims. Western New Yorkers, and all those who lost loved ones on Pan Am Flight 103, deserve a full investigation into Megrahi’s release and the possibility that a business deal was behind it.”

Four of the 270 victims of the Lockerbie bombing came from Rep. McMahon’s district, with the two youngest age 20 and the oldest age 33. All four were traveling home for the holidays.

Forty victims of the bombing came from Rep. Maffei’s district, including 35 Syracuse University students who were returning home after having studied abroad.

Similarly, Western New Yorkers in Rep. Lee’s district who lost friends and family on Pan Am Flight 103 have reached out to him in recent days after the allegations about Megrahi’s release surfaced.

The letter being circulated by the freshmen lawmakers requests not only for an investigation into allegations surrounding al-Megrahi’s release to Libya, but also for British Government officials to address Congress on the matter.

From the Buffalo News:

The Office of Congressional Ethics this month sent letters to banking lobbyists, seeking information about their fundraising contacts with Lee and the other lawmakers, a mix of Democrats and Republicans who serve on the House Financial Services or Ways and Means committees.

The letter to lobbyists, which was first reported Monday afternoon by a Capitol Hill newspaper called The Hill, did not name any specific charges against the lawmakers and identified the probe as a “preliminary review.”

Lee, a first-term Republican, told the News that he has "nothing to hide," adding, “The more accountable and transparent we can be, the better off things will be in the long term.”

He said he's cooperated fully with the investigation.

Since the beginning of 2009, the committee has started 48 ethics probes and 22 of those were dropped in their preliminary stages.

Six other lawmakers are also being investigated.