Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) will follow through with his resignation, scheduled to take effect at 5 p.m. Monday, his chief of staff confirmed.
Massa suggested to a New York radio station on Sunday that he could rescind his resignation after asserting that an ethics investigation into allegations that he sexually harassed an aide may have been orchestrated by Democratic leaders to get him out of office before the health care vote.
“The comments on the radio came from constituents calling in, saying, ‘You should rescind.’ And that’s how that fire got fed. He addressed them by thanking them for the comments, but the resignation is still effective,” Massa Chief of Staff Joseph Racalto said in an interview outside the New York Democrat’s office in the Longworth House Office Building.
Massa, a freshman, is not expected to return to Washington, Racalto said, and staff were busy Monday boxing up his books and other belongings. Racalto said he is “desperately” trying to find new jobs for about 20 staff members, but for the time being, they will remain in the office handling district casework.
A man from Kentucky attends a Tea Party Patriots rally on the West Front of the Capitol to protest the IRS' targeting of conservative political groups.
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