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March 8, 2010
Help Stop Obamacare: Tell Eric Massa (D-NY) Not to Resign (Updated)
Topics: Political News and commentariesAs Professor Jacobson points out at Legal Insurrection, Eric Massa (D-NY) is set to resign today. If he has not yet tendered his resignation, he most definitely should not do so - at least not if he is indeed being forced out because of his health care vote, which is what he alleged over the weekend in a radio interview (emphasis - Jacobson):
Embattled Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) lashed out in an emotional radio appearance Sunday, accusing Dem leaders of what he suggested was an orchestrated campaign to force his resignation.Professor Jacobson has spoken with Massa's office and has been told that Massas' resignation is scheduled to go into effect at 5 p.m. The person he spoke with did not know if it could be reversed. More certainly could not hurt."There's a reason that this has all happened, frankly one that I had not realized," Massa said on WKPQ radio on Sunday. "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'll pass."
Massa addressed rumors circulating on blogs about his personal behavior, including incidents during an informal Navy ceremony in '83 on the USS New Jersey and one that occurred in a state room later during his Navy career. He insisted he had done nothing uncommon, insisting his sin was foul language.
A complaint before the House ethics committee, he said, stemmed from a wedding Massa attended over New Years, when he made an inappropriate comment to an aide, according to Roll Call, which first reported the radio program.
Massa maintained his comments were inappropriate, but he blamed "political correctness" and accused Dems of a setup. Massa voted against health care legislation in Nov., and he has not been a reliable vote for Dem leadership. That, he said, has put a target on his back.
"When I voted against the cap and trade bill, the phone rang and it was the chief of staff to the president of the United States of America, Rahm Emanuel, and he started swearing at me in terms and words that I hadn't heard since that crossing the line ceremony on the USS New Jersey in 1983," Massa said. "And I gave it right back to him, in terms and words that I know are physically impossible."
"If Rahm Emanuel wants to come after me, maybe he ought to hold himself to the same standards I'm holding myself to and he should resign," Massa said....
"I was set up for this from the very, very beginning," he added.
"The leadership of the Democratic Party have become exactly what they said they were running against." ....
"There is not a single member of the Democratic freshman class whi is going to vote against this health care bill now that they've got me," he said. "Eric Massa's probably not going to go back to Congress, because the only way I would go back there would be as an independent. A pox on both parties."
Help stop Obamacare. Call or send an e-mail asking Rep. Massa not to resign. Here's his contact information.
Washington DC Office: 1208 Longworth House OfficeBuildingWashington, DCUpdate: Drew over at Ace of Spades points out that Massa is not exactly as he portrays himself - he voted against the original House bill because it wasn't liberal enough:
20515, Phone: (202) 225-3161, Fax: (202) 226-6599, email here
[...] He famously told some nutroots group that he'd vote for a single payer system even though his district didn't want it. Massa is also the guy who said Sen. Charles Grassley committed treason because of the wording of his opposition to government run health care.Nonetheless, if Massa is willing to be a NO vote on Obamacare, it's probably worth the call to encourage him to stay and vote against it. I called and the call center was slammed. Email is best.Massa was definitely a guy Pelosi needed to flip but not because he was a 'conservative' or even 'moderate' Democrat who thinks the whole thing is too much but rather because he's a progressive who wants a plan that goes further to the left. It seems he's more likely to be the type (and he's not alone) who has to be assured this is just the beginning not the end. That's a lot easier sell, even with the prospect of the Democrats losing the House, simply because history shows all government programs grow beyond their promised scope at some point. It strikes me there's easier ways to get his vote than this.
[...] It strikes me that given Massa's over the top performances in the past he was simply ill suited to a life in politics (not sure how he got through a Navy career like that but I guess he did). The guy is just weird. Sometimes that can be charming and sometimes it gets you kicked to the curb, it's a fine line.
Another view: Massa: Dems railroaded me because I opposed ObamaCare bill
Posted by Abdul at March 8, 2010 10:59 AM
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