The House ethics committee today decided to launch a formal investigation into how House staff and lawmakers handled sexual harassment allegations against former freshmen Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y., who resigned last month over the charges.
The ethics panel almost never disciplines its members, but the announcement is significant because it involves the top tier of power in the House, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose office was among those who had been notified about the allegations against Massa. Ethics will want to find out if lawmakers and their aides responded appropriately when Massa employees came to them and complained about Massa’s behavior.
Recommended Stories
It’s possible Pelosi may have to testify, in addition to her top staffers.
The move by ethics is not surprising, given the pressure by House Republicans, who were the subject of an ethics scrutiny four years ago over their handling of former Rep. Mark Foley’s romantic pursuit of underage teenage male pages.
The investigations will be conducted by a subcommittee made up of two Democrats and two Republicans on the ethics committee and will likely take months to complete.
The panel has no jurisdiction over Massa because he is no longer a member.
According to a statement released by the panel chairman and ranking member, the purpose of the investigation will be to determine if “the conduct of any member, officer or employee of the House violated any law, rule, regulation or other standard of conduct applicable to the performance of their duties with respect to the allegations of misconduct involving former Representative Massa.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., heard about the allegations against Massa in February by Massa’s top aides. He gave Massa 48 hours to report the charges to the ethics committee, or he would do it himself.
Pelosi later told reporters her aides were also aware of the allegations but they did not tell her about them.
“We need answers to serious questions,” House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. “What did Democratic Leaders know about former Rep. Massa’s conduct? When did they know? What did they do to protect the staff and interns who were being subjected to harassment by their boss?”
Boehner should scale down his expectations. The ethics committee. It is highly unlikely the panel, chaired by a Democrat, will produce a report that finds fault with Pelosi or Democratic leaders.
