GOP, Dems Square Off Over Massa Ethics Controversy
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Republican lawmakers may call for further investigation into the sexual harassment charges against former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), prompting Democrats to accuse the GOP of attempting to exploit the situation.
Massa, to the chagrin of Democrats, has kept himself in the spotlight over the past week, most recently with a set of extended television interviews last night in which he gave contradictory statements about whether or not he had ever "groped" male staffers. At one point, Massa said he had "groped" a staffer but not in a sexual way.
The former congressman, who resigned Monday evening, also on Tuesday walked back previous statements he made accusing Democratic leadership of pushing him out of Congress because of his health care vote. "I wasn't forced out. I forced myself out," Massa said on Fox News.
In an interview on NBC's "Today Show" this morning, House Republican whip Eric Cantor (Va.) would not say whether he thought Democrats "pressured" Massa to leave Congress because of the health care debate.
"I think I'm a little taken aback and stunned by all of this," Cantor said. "I don't know the facts of this at all. I know that the American people are sickened by all of this.''
GOP leaders will meet today to discuss the Massa controversy and whether the party should call for a formal investigation into the handling of the sexual harassment charges, Politico reports. Yesterday, the Republican National Committee released an ad blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not treating the Massa allegations appropriately after she told reporters that the charges started out as a "rumor."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.), also appearing on the "Today Show" this morning, criticized Republicans for using the situation for political gain.
"I think there were some people that did jump in and try to use this for political purposes,'' he said.
