Massa Quits Amid Sex Claim

A freshman congressman, from Western New York announced yesterday that he will retire – as allegations surfaced that he had sexually harassed a male staffer.
Eric Massa (D-Corning) denied reports from House aides on both sides of the aisle that the House Ethics Committee had been informed of harassment allegations.
“Those kinds of articles, unsubstantiated without fact or backing, are a symptom of what’s wrong with this city [Washington] . . . I do not have the life energy to fight all the battles all the time,” Massa told reporters in a brief conference call.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, however, said last night that he was told the week of Feb. 8 about the harassment allegations.
Hoyer (D-Md.) directed Massa to report the allegations to the House Ethics Committee within 48 hours, and got confirmation the committee received the report and would review the allegations.

Read more: (Charles Hurt, “Dem Rep Quits Amid Sex Claim,” The New York Post, 03/04/10)