His record of sponsoring one piece of legislation that was signed into law is similar to that of many of his former colleagues, but it pales in comparison to that of some lawmakers, such as Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the Upper East Side Democrat who sponsored eight successful bills during the period Mr. Weiner was in office.
This may in part be connected to a political strategy implemented by then-Rep. Rahm Emanuel in 2006, when he courted pro-gun Democrats as part of a successful effort to retake control of Congress, an experience he carried with him to his role as Obama's first White House chief of staff before being elected mayor of Chicago.