The Washington departed Rep. Eric Massa is trying to make a mess. In explaining his departure from the House, he at first claimed that it was for health reasons, then he hinted that he also left because of a conversation that he had with a male staffer was misunderstood, and he said, "This ethics issue is my fault and mine alone. " (Daily News) Now he says that the Democratic leadership, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, whom he called the "son of the devil's spawn," forced him out, because he voted against the health care bill. Earlier, he said that he opposed the bill because it wasn't strong enough, wasn't progressive enough, because it didn't have the single payer provision. Now, he just plainly says he was muzzled and kicked out because of his "no" vote, like he was some conservative duck kicked out of the Democrats' choir for quaking a conservative tune. Mr. Massa makes no mention of the complaints made against him at the House Ethics. Committee, that he sexually harassed male members of his staff.
Yesterday, in an attempt to explain himself to a hometown audience, was when he changed his tune. His ninety minute rant on the local station WKPQ-FM in Hornell, New York, is a revealing look into Mr. Massa's state of mind. In describing Rahm Emanuel pursuit of him to get his vote, he told of an encounter that he had with Mr. Emanuel, while he (Massa) was soaping up in the House gym showers. “I am showering, naked as a jaybird, and here comes Rahm Emanuel, not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me.” (The Daily Beast)
Anyway, the right-wing , Fox News, Glen Beck , Rush Limbaugh are rushing to toot Mr. Massa's horn, and to turn him into a cause célèbre. Beck has booked Massa to appear for the full hour for on this afternoon's show, to blame his troubles on the Democrats, and old Rush Limbaugh has promised to make Massa's story a national obession. But Massa's may make a mess that may smack the right-wingers back in their mean, little smirking faces.
Sources:
The Daily Beast, (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-03-08/democratic-tra...).
The Daily News, (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/03/06/2010-03-06_upstate_dem_quits_...).
ABC News, (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthCare/white-house-eric-massas-charges-rid...).