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White House Calls Massa Story "Ridiculous"


Eric Massa X180 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs this morning dismissed the controversy involving congressman Eric Massa (pictured) of New York, who stepped down Monday amid allegations that he sexually harassed a male staffer.

Massa, a first-term Democrat from a Republican-leaning district in southwest New York, initially announced last Wednesday that he would not run for reelection because of a recurrence of cancer. Later that day, news of an ethics complaint against him from a male staffer surfaced, leading Massa to announce he would resign before his term ended.

Massa gave his account of the sexual harassment charges on his final radio show Sunday, when he also suggested the ethics investigation was retaliation by the Democratic leadership for his opposition to health care reform.

"I think this whole story is ridiculous,” said Gibbs to ABC’s Good Morning America  on Tuesday. “I think the latest excuse is silly and ridiculous. We're focused not on crazy allegations but instead on making this system work for the American people rather than insurance companies."

Massa is scheduled to be interviewed Tuesday by Glenn Beck on Fox and Larry King on CNN.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Midtown Altanta Mark
    Date posted: 3/10/2010 1:43:08 PM
    Hometown: Midtown Atlanta

    Comment:

    @Bobby from Miami: I guess by now you've realized (if you watched the Glenn Beck interview) that this guy retracted everything and then hopped up on the crucifix and said, effectively, "Woe is me. Guilty as charged. I tickled the guy". He did not, however, suggest that the Democractic Party did ANYthing to him, much to Glenn Beck's obvious chagrin. Beck even apologized to his audience for not being able to dig up some dirt. Dirtbags, both of them.

  • Name: corvo
    Date posted: 3/10/2010 9:22:56 AM
    Hometown: venezia

    Comment:

    Massa's self-destruction is the obvious consequence of what happens when a self-loathing, closeted, homosexually inclined man who made his life as a Manly Man (all those years in the armed forces? check!) is exposed. Sad, but it's now his job to either get help in accepting himself for who he is, or to disappear from public view.

  • Name: Jacques M.
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 2:39:39 PM
    Hometown: NYC

    Comment:

    The New York Times yesterday had a quote from Massa claiming a naked Rahm Emmanuel accosted him in the locker room showers to berate him for not supporting the health care bill. If a naked Rahm Emmanuel asked me to in the showers, I know I would. What's this guy's problem?

  • Name: Mike
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 12:41:46 PM
    Hometown: Buffalo, NY

    Comment:

    Sorry there is more to this story than the brief synopsis being played out on advocate website... for a lot more details, read the article in Tuesday (3/9) Buffalo News, available on their website... it sounds like Congressman Massa has a pretty serious drinking issue, and perhaps could be coming unglued. Also, according to the paper, his reasons for not voting the party line on health care was that it didn't go far enough; not that he was totally against it!

  • Name: Brian
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 11:58:55 AM
    Hometown: St. Louis

    Comment:

    The problem today is that nobody wants to accept responsibility for their actions let along accept the consequences of negative behavior. This man is a sleaze. Good riddance!

  • Name: Bobby
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 11:26:21 AM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    Why should he resign? Barney Frank brought a PROSTITUTE to his office and had him live there. All this guy did was made an inappropriate remark, and that is allegedly since there's no evidence of what he did, only the words of a staffer that might be politically motivated to destroy his former master. Obama and Rahm have brought Chicago-style politics to Washington, they have redefined corruption. Massa was crucified because he didn't vote for the cap and trade bill that the American people don't want and would make our utility bills skyrocket. I think today Massa is going to appear on Glenn Beck, I'm gonna watch him because I want to learn how this poor congressman has been treated by his own party.

  • Name: dan W
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 10:45:05 AM
    Hometown: Tarrtyown

    Comment:

    Who cares if this is the case anyway. The republican party does the same dame thing whenever they have someone in office that doesn't agree with their political perspective. Don't let the door hit you in the ass as you leave A hole.



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