Sexual Harassment Complaint Filed Against Ex-Rep. Massa

A male aide to former Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y., has filed a sexual harassment complaint against him, launching what is at least a second official inquiry involving allegations that Massa engaged in inappropriate conduct with staffers. The complaint appears to be separate from a House Ethics Committee investigation that began in early March after a similar allegation was made about Massa.
Debra Katz, the lawyer for the staffer, said the complaint was filed March 23 — but not with the Ethics Committee. Katz, in an interview with CongressDaily, declined to identify the staffer or say where the complaint was filed. But the Office of Compliance — an independent nonpartisan agency — is charged with confidentially administering and enforcing the Congressional Accountability Act.
Katz said Massa’s actions toward the staffer were replete with sexual comments, groping and other sexually predatory behavior. At the same time, she said, Massa subordinates feared that pressing their complaints about him could be “career-ending.”

Read more: (“Sexual Harassment Complaint Filed Against Ex-Rep. Massa,” National Journal’s CongressDaily, 04/14/10)