"Apparently Massa claimed that Rahm came up to him one day in the House locker room, stark naked, started screaming obscenities at him — to which I say, welcome to my world."

President Obama at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner.

"Democratic insiders... said Massa hired a surprisingly large percentage of young gay men, and paid them so little that staffers were forced to live in the house with him."

"It's like he had people trapped."

The Democrats eat their own.

Allegations that Massa has "groped multiple male staffers working in his office."

I figured there was more to it than a stupid, drunken joke at a party. Otherwise, why wouldn't Massa stand his ground?

I wonder how much substance there is to this staffer-groping business? Was it annoying over-friendly arm-around-the-back stuff or something more? "Groping." There's a loaded word. Can we have some details?

Are the Democrats really policing their own? Does every member of Congress at Massa's level of touchiness get investigated, or was this selective investigation?

grope
1: to feel about blindly or uncertainly in search <grope for the light switch>
2 : to look for something blindly or uncertainly <grope for the right words>
3 : to feel one's way

I think they are all groping in one way or another.

UPDATED: Massa says it was a tickle fight.

What happens to the health care vote in the House when everyone knows each vote is "the" vote?

Hotline On Call has the details:

A reminder of where we stand now: Health care legislation passed by a 220-215 margin on Nov. 7. Since then, Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Eric Massa (D-NY) have resigned. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) passed away. Of that group, Abercrombie, Wexler and Murtha voted in favor. Massa voted against. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-LA), who voted for the bill, has said he will vote against.

That means Pelosi has lost 4 votes, bringing her to 216. Because there are only 431 members of the House, thanks to the vacancies, Pelosi needs exactly that number to pass reform. Arcuri's decision today brings the number of yes votes down to 215 -- one below the number needed to pass. 

How tense! I almost feel sorry for them.  Almost. What's going through those 431 fervid little minds? Each knows his/her vote is crucial, but then what? Worry that angry voters will say this thing passed because of you? Worry that angry voters will say this thing failed because of you? So, then... be quiet and cooperative? Or be demanding and invite a Massa-style ethics investigation (with naked Rahm-poke)? And then what? Become a blustering media star while wussing out and resigning (like Massa)? Try to stand up to the Chief of Staff and his minions? Or maybe the stress will get to you and you'll keel over and die like Murtha? Lay low, stand and fight... or go like Murtha/Massa? Poor congresspeople. Not.

"Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man? ... It's ridiculous."

"I'm sitting there 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 because I wasn't gonna vote for the president's budget."

Massa's got the quote of the day, and he's certainly taken his revenge on Rahm Emanuel, whom we will now all instinctively picture naked and poking. I mean, back when the movie "Psycho" came out, it was a standard thing to be afraid to take a shower, because we were picturing Anthony Perkins, in his dress, coming to jab us with that knife. Now, the image is Rahm, naked, come to poke us with that finger.

And, isn't it interesting, that for all his ranting and raving — e.g., "son of the devil's spawn" — Massa did not take advantage of his knowledge of what Rahm looks like naked? I think we know what that means.

UPDATE: I claim first dibs on the joke "Chief of Staff." Chief of Staff™.

"Mine is now the deciding vote on the health care bill."

"And this administration and this House leadership have said, quote-unquote, they will stop at nothing to pass this health care bill. And now they've gotten rid of me and it will pass. You connect the dots."

Massa says he was persecuted, and all he did was make a stupid drunken sexual remark at a New Year's Eve party. If it wasn't so bad, don't resign. Man up, or shut up, Massa.