Pelosi's Office Heard Concerns about Eric Massa in October

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Congress

Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office had heard concerns about former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) as far back as October, according to reports.

The official House ethics committee investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Massa is over, now that he has resigned. Republicans, however, may press for more inquiry into how Democratic leadership handled reports of Massa's alleged misconduct.

There is no indication that Pelosi's office knew of allegations that Massa had improper physical contact with staffers before February, when House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer took the charges to the ethics committee, Politico reports. However, an aide to Pelosi acknowledged yesterday that Massa's chief of staff, Joe Racalto, told a member of Pelosi's staff in October that Massa had hired too many staff members, was living with several of them and used foul language around them.

Racalto was prompted to call Pelosi's office after he learned Massa made a lunch date with a young male staffer from Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.)'s office, the Washington Post reports, citing an unnamed source. Racalto was reportedly concerned Massa had a habit of "trying to spend time alone with young, gay men with no ostensible work purpose," according to the Post.

House GOP leaders met yesterday to discuss what actions to take with respect to the Massa allegations. The party may ask for the ethics committee to restart its investigation. In 2006, the committee decided to investigate the sexual harassment charges against former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) even after he had resigned from Congress, Republicans point out.

"If things were being equally treated, of course the probe would go on," Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said, according to the Post.

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Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by melpol1 March 11, 2010 8:08 PM EST: Heterosexual congressmen have been groping each other for decades. It is a super friendly way of greeting a pal. Since the Massa scandal a pat on the shoulder has replaced the cheerful grope. A new mental disorder has come to Washington, it is called Gropophobia.; Reply to this comment


by strangeworld March 11, 2010 1:56 PM EST: The guy quit...since he's no longer in Congress, I don't think that the ethics committee has any jurisdiction in the matter.

Contrast democrats who stepped down like Massa, Elliot Spitzer, etc. with republicans like Mark Foley, David Vitter, Mark Sanford,etc.. Obviously the so-called party of personal responsibility is misnamed...the GOP is the party of no ethics and no responsibility.; Reply to this comment


by peterde1010 March 11, 2010 1:14 PM EST: I can't believe all the nonsense here regarding the media being a liberal tool. What a joke. Just because something is said over and over ad-nausea does not make it true. There's only one network in the pocket of a ideological base, and of course I am referring to the F-word network (FOX for all of you clever conspiracy theorists). But of course, I'm sure that the commenters above would believe FOX is "fair and balanced?, right? Delusional to the extreme...; Reply to this comment

by Tarzan322 March 11, 2010 11:54 AM EST

Ok, so this guy groped a male staffer - nonsexual. Who gives a crap. I mean, aren't the Democrats Liberal anyway? Aren't they trying to get marriage rights for gays and lesbians anyway? It would not surprise me in the least that half the party were gays and lesbians. Personally, I think Nancy Pelosi is gay, but who cares, right. Apparently the media does since they are mostly in the Democrats pockets, and keep bringing up this crap. I guess the media must be gay too.

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by SueZeeeQue March 11, 2010 2:20 PM EST: Are you gay?


by moisnhcrnr March 11, 2010 11:30 AM EST: After promising to drain the swamp, Pelosi has now become the Swamp Thing.; Reply to this comment


by pineappletoe March 11, 2010 11:27 AM EST: I love how people like Pelosi are going to be the ones to come in and clean up these messes. She is so convinced that her opponents are so immoral and wrong in what they do, and blame them for not addressing issues of importance. Nancy, just like the Republicans your party hold to a higher standard for moral lapses, you should be held to a higher standard for ethics reform. You told everyone how you were going to revamp our legistlative branch, inferring your opponents had their head in the sand. Quite simply, my dear, you have done a pathetic job on this and this albatross should hang on your neck as symbol of your failures. On the other hand, you have just about sealed Obama's fate with your infighting and blame, nice work.; Reply to this comment


by countrycuz1 March 11, 2010 11:02 AM EST: The blatant cheerleading that the media has provided this leadership is not being bought by the American public any longer.; Reply to this comment


by djaymick March 11, 2010 10:31 AM EST: How about taking it a step further. Under Ethic Committee Rules (Rules 16 & 17), Massa should have been informed 5-10 days after Pelosi received this call.

Here's my take on the whole thing (of course without evidence). Pelosi received the call in October. The healthcare bill was still in the House awaiting final vote. Massa voted against the bill. When Pelosi realized that Massa wouldn't change his vote on the Senate version of the bill, it finally came out, 4 months later.

There again, this is only mu opinion. However, the media should do its job and do the investigative work. However, I'm very skeptical that that will happen. They will never make Democrats look bad because they have the same ideals.; Reply to this comment