Shuster says Massa allegedly groped multiple male staffers

[tishaLA]

And that he has been under investigation for a while. He referenced a Wash Post article about it....I'll try to find it.

Washington Post

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) has been under investigation for allegations that he groped multiple male staffers working in his office, according to three sources familiar with the probe.

The allegations surrounding the former lawmaker date back at least a year, and involve "a pattern of behavior and physical harassment," according to one source. The new claims of alleged groping contradict statements by Massa, who resigned his office on Monday after it became public that he was the subject of a House ethics committee investigation for possible harassment.

Massa had said that the allegations were limited to his use of "salty language" with his staff. He apologized for making some inappropriate comments and argued he was being unfairly villified. Days later, Massa accused the White House and Democratic congressional leaders of trying to oust him from office to improve their chances of passing health care reform legislation. Massa could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at his home in New York or his campaign office. Staff at his former congressional offices declined to relay messages to him and said they did not know how to reach him.

According to two sources familiar with the probe, Massa's former deputy chief of staff Ron Hikel provided the information about the staffers' allegations to the House ethics committee three weeks ago. Hikel had earlier sought advice from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office about brewing internal complaints, the sources said, and had been urged to report the allegations to the committee. <...>

[polichick]

1. All at once? Without towels? :)

[tabatha]

2. Here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030902157.html?hpid=topnews

[inna]

3. never mind.

Just saw the link, but I still don't believe it.

I think Massa is just being character assassinated by Rahm and Co. :shrug:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. He's using WaPo as a source, but WaPo is using "sources" who refuse to be identified.

[frazzled]

5. Yeah, well believe it

It's always easier to blame everything on Rahm, but please face the facts. Read the article: it goes back quite a ways, and is consistent with earlier things. His chief of staff went to Hoyer to seek advice, and then went to the ethics committee. And then think about Massa's insane behavior. Not just this past week, changing his story every five minutes--but to that video that shows him saying fuck this and that and fuck Rahm to his children in the car. He's nuts.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Could be both truth-telling and character assassination.

[Garbo 2004]

7. When RW media, including Rushbo, at first embraced Massa's story of Rahmgate and

then Rushbo turned & started waving them off Massa and attacking him, that suggested they learned something that made Massa and his claims less of an asset to them.

This, it seems, would be it.

[Jennicut]

8. Well, now I really wonder what was in that ethics investigation.

It really disappoints me that a Dem would be so stupid...if true. We have no real proof yet, just questions. Why? Why ruin your career?

[kestrel91316]

9. Disgraceful, inappropriate behavior. Regardless of party affiliation.

And didn't I hear he was a DINO, anyway??

[blogslut]

10. Gee, I wonder if Glenn Beck is going to have Massa as a guest tonight

Dude was supposed to be the maligned victim of Rahm Emanuel for a whole hour tonight.

Will Glenn have to wing it with chalkboard performance art instead?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

11. Whenever I see him with that board, I'm reminded of that game show "win, lose, or draw"