March 9, 2010 3:37 PM

Eric Massa Under Investigation for Groping Male Staffers, Reports Say

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Congress
Eric Massa

Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y.

(Credit: AP)
Updated at 4:25 p.m. ET with new information.

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) is under investigation for allegedly groping multiple male staffers and behaving inappropriately with interns, according to reports.

Massa allegedly groped three male staffers and conducted himself improperly with interns and full-time aides, Politico reports, citing an unnamed source. The Washington Post, citing three unnamed sources, says allegations that Massa groped multiple male staffers date back at least a year and involve "a pattern of behavior and physical harassment."

Massa announced his resignation last week after it came to light the House ethics committee was investigating him on sexual harassment charges, but the newly-reported charges of harassment are more serious than previously reported. 

The congressman on Sunday admitted to making inappropriately sexual comments to staff members, but he blamed his resignation on Democratic leadership, saying they wanted to oust him for voting against the health care bill.

Democratic leaders in the House and the White House have dismissed Massa's claims as "absurd" and "ridiculous."

Now that Massa is officially out of office, he is out of the purview of the House ethics committee.

In spite of the sexual harassment charges against Massa, some conservative pundits have trumpeted his conspiracy theory pinning his departure from Congress on Democratic leadership. He will be a guest for the full hour on Glenn Beck's TV show on Fox News this afternoon.


Add a Comment See all 23 Comments
by sunday42 March 10, 2010 11:33 AM EST
So is this guy gay?
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb2011 March 9, 2010 7:25 PM EST
Give the gay, er, I mean guy credit for chutzpah.

He's got cancer, he just got outed as a philadelphian hypocrite, was under investigation for more than one incident, but he says he quit because Rahm Emmanuel hurt his feelings.

For those too "conservative" (read, ASPD afflicted) to understand, philadelphia in the above sentence means loving one's brother.

Oh well, had he been GOP, the story would have contained panda suits, and 15-year-old boys.
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb2011 March 9, 2010 6:56 PM EST
"Conservative" ASPD.

Yep, there are those who ran as Democrats, because the GOP brand was poison in their district, but they still have ASPD.

Granted most bolted for the GOP in the 60s, when the Democrat party finally realized that "Black" people were actually people, but for a few, they knew their constituents were democrats, so they stayed, like the herpes virus. Massa (what an apropos name!) was one of such ilk.
Reply to this comment
by ohiopolitico March 9, 2010 6:46 PM EST
Someone could have gotten to Massa before the interview. And, maybe Massa used the interview to negotiate....
Reply to this comment
by Brokennews March 9, 2010 5:41 PM EST
The new banner at the top of the page says: "Former Rep. Eric Massa acknowledges he groped a staff member non-sexually"


Non-sexually??

Nobody gets in trouble for patting someone on the shoulder or back.
Groping usually indicates grabbing a naughty spot.
Too bad Bill Clinton didn't think of this!!
He could have said "Yes, I did wild thing with those women, but it was totally non-sexual!"
Reply to this comment
by consh8theusa March 9, 2010 5:09 PM EST
Brother, the GOP sure picked a poor horse to back on this one, can't wait to see how Beck try's to turn this against the Obama.
Reply to this comment
by Brokennews March 9, 2010 5:26 PM EST
????
Oh! And also ?????
by jt92202 March 9, 2010 5:08 PM EST
When did it happen in America that you are guilty if the press say you are or someone says you did something! It use to be innocent until proven guilty but I guess without a trial you don't get that! If he did this I don't want him in Congress but if he didn't do it I want to know who is saying this about him and why!
Reply to this comment
by dmwj2 March 9, 2010 5:14 PM EST
jt - that's whay he quit, so the investigation would go away... So unless someone spills the details to the media, we will never know the facts. If he had any desire to stand and clear his name, he would not have quit.
by NowBeWithThat March 9, 2010 5:07 PM EST
Rahm Emanuel, the mudslinging mossad of the Obama Administration.

Believe me this!
Reply to this comment
by jgg000101 March 9, 2010 5:03 PM EST
doesn't anybody just toe-tap anymore?
Reply to this comment
by Zann-Zel March 9, 2010 4:54 PM EST
If it was a witch hunt maybe we should just go ahead and burn him at the stake! He sounds like a real piece of crap!
Reply to this comment
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