Staffers' accounts paint more detailed, troubling picture of Massa's office

[sabra]

Source: WP

Just three months after Eric Massa was elected to Congress, his young male employees on Capitol Hill began complaining to supervisors that the lawmaker was making aggressive, sexual overtures toward them, according to new interviews and internal documents.

The senior staff, one of whom said he heard Massa making lewd remarks to young staffers, tried to manage the problem internally. But reports of Massa's inappropriate behavior continued, leaving junior workers feeling helpless, according to victims, other staffers and sources close to an ongoing House ethics investigation. Most asked not to be named due to the ethics probe and the risk of hurting their job prospects.

This account, drawn from more than two dozen interviews and internal documents, shows that aides were accusing the 50-year-old married lawmaker of far more egregious behavior than previously known. Beginning in March 2009 and over the next several months, male staffers complained that their boss had touched them in a sexual manner, came up with reasons to have staffers travel alone with him on overnight trips, and expressed a desire to have sex with the men in the office.

But it wasn't until after a year of staff complaints -- when allegations about Massa's behavior threatened to become a public embarrassment -- that supervisors alerted congressional leaders to the problem. That led House leadership to demand the matter be referred to the ethics committee. Massa resigned a few weeks later when the media reported he was the subject of a harassment probe. He declined to comment for this story.

Several staffers say the Massa episode reveals congressional staff's lack of faith in their workplace protections and the deference that office supervisors showed Massa.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/13/AR2010041302257.html?hpid=topnews

[Cha]

1. I remember when some were sticking

up for Massa because he was accusing the Democratic Party of railroading him.

The WP is really pushing the Eric Massa story but the Senator John Ensign story..not so much.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=388x20383

[saracat]

2. Ah yes anonymous sources make all stories "true" if they say what one wants.

I have no idea what happened with Massa but his word should at least be as good as anonymous sources. I thought we had innocent till proved guilty in this nation. By his own admission Massa was inappropriate but we do NOT know the extent of it. You are quite correct about the Ensign story. It receives absolutely zero press, which is interesting considering how they love a sex scandal. And he is a sitting Senator.

[dem mba]

3. at best Massa is a pervert

at worst, a predator. Even if he didn't "assault" anyone, he appear to have been quite inappropriate. Inappropriate for a boss, and damn sure inappropriate for a Senator.

[elehhhhna]

5. very highschool. the guy plays ticklea$$ with underlings against their will ..

is he deeply conflicted about his uncontollable male preferences or is this just the nastiest way to abuse them that he knows? Does he employ any women? Doe he grapple with them, too? Is it his inner teh gay or just sadism? He's messsed up.

[No Elephants]

8. It'snot either or. It could be that what Massa's underlings said about Massa was true and

what Massa said about Rahm was also true.

I doubt anyone else here really knows, one way or the other.

[florida08]

4. this was the lead story

on MSNBC just now at 3 pm. Look for more of this kind of sexual innuendo to come like tom toms

[anigbrowl]

6. Sounds like we're well rid of him if these allegations are true. nt

[aldo]

7. What a load of hooey!

After the fact complaints don't do it. When I first read the headlines I thought they had a complaint record going back years. Not so, the allegations are all current.

I think what happened is clear. First they pressured him to resign over his inappropriate physical contact with staff (roughhousing is not wise and easily misconstrued). They probably told him if went of his own free will everything would be kept quiet. However they (the thugs in power) double crossed him and set out to destroy his reputation -- can't have independent congresspeople now. He then tried to defend himself after resigning -- effectively fighting backing up. It didn't go so well. So now they're punishing him (and presenting a cautionary tale for others in the government) by doubling down on him.

The Washington Post is a disgrace. Power is as power does, we now see its ugly true face.