Democrats Swamped in Ethics Scandals
Democratic Rep. Eric Massa, from western New York, acknowledged Friday he acted inappropriately with a male staffer and said he's leaving with "a profound sense of failure."
Massa's resignation caps a bad week for Democrats, a week dominated by ethics investigations, reports CBS News Correspondent Nancy Cordes.
In New York, the papers were filled with scandalous stories about not one but three prominent Democrats.
There was the governor, David Paterson, accused of interfering in a domestic violence investigation.
"I am ending my campaign for governor of the state of New York," Paterson said Feb. 26.
There was veteran Rep. Charles Rangel, forced to give up his Ways and Means Committee chairmanship over ethics lapses.
"Now he's trying to blame it on his staff," said one New Yorker. "That's no excuse."
Now there's Massa's resignation amid harassment allegations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who famously promised to drain the ethics swamp in Congress, didn't seem to want to wade into the Massa situation Thursday.
"You know what?" she told reporters. "This is rumor city. Every single day there are rumors. I have a job to do."
Democrats were hoping to make hay of recent Republican lapses come November, but the growing number of Democrats caught up in controversy is muddying that message.
There's John Edwards with his paternity problems, and at least four House Democrats - Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, - facing ethics investigations.
"I think when a party comes in saying they are cleaning up corruption and they're going to run the House differently than the last party, I think you really have to have your feet held to the fire," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Democrats won back the House four years ago partly by highlighting GOP scandals. Now they run the risk of having the tables turned on them.
