Ethics panel to decide on probe of Dem leaders over Massa

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | March 11 2010 5:12 PM

The House voted nearly unanimously on Thursday to send its ethics panel a Republican measure to investigate what House Democratic Party leaders and their staffs knew about allegations against former Rep. Eric Massa.

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The house voted 402 to 1 in favor. The ethics panel The ethics panel, which has the official name of Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, must now decide about the matter.

Massa resigned on Monday after allegations of sexual harassment. The former senator admitted to improper language but said it was not sexually motivated.

Earlier in the day, Republican minority leader John Boehner urged a probe after the house passed a resolution on the issue he submitted with a vote of 360 for, 2 against and 15 members voting present.

Members on the House committee investigating ethical allegations usually do not vote regarding issues affecting their own panel.

The resolution that passed the House with a strong bipartisan majority today is a clear signal that an investigation to examine and answer the very serious questions arising from Democratic Leaders' response to their former colleague's conduct is necessary, he said.

Massa's chief of staff Joe Racalto contacted an aide in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office in October to discuss problems with Massa's behavior, political news site Politico.com reported on Wednesday.

Aide Ron Hikel reported to Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office to report a specific harassment allegation against Massa several months later, according to the report.