Massa Won't Run For Second Term

Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) is finished with Congress after a single term, he plans to announce in a press conference call today, sources confirm to Hotline OnCall.

Massa, a former top aide on the House Armed Services Committee and aide to ret. Gen. Wes Clark, will cite health reasons in his announcement, the New York Daily News, which broke the story, reported today, though Massa warned a source for the paper about "hearing things that aren't true," a seemingly veiled reference to embarrassing information that may emerge.

The first-term Congressman, who twice ran for his upstate NY seat, was a top target of the NRCC from the beginning. In '06, he lost to Rep. Randy Kuhl (R) by just 6K votes; in '08, he returned and beat Kuhl by a narrower 5K vote margin.

Yet until today's news, he had not showed any signs that he would step down. He had raised more than $1M to date and had $643K in the bank, according to the latest FEC reports he filed.

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/03/massa_wont_run.php

That's what I'm confused about.

Best of luck to him and his health ... if he DOES step down immediately, that's one LESS "no" vote for the Senate bill.

So far we have Massa and Grijalva. Or are there others I haven't seen yet?

... I've lost all patience with those who want to enable the GOP's agenda under the guise of idealism.

But, then again, I'm not BASHING Grijalva, I just want him to change his vote.

But I suppose any progressive who votes "no" is standing up on principle while the Blue Dogs who vote "no" are selling out the party huh?

ANYONE who votes against the bill is selling out the American people.

He's about as right wing as it gets. :puke:

And yes, if you are an actual Democrat voting against this bill, because it is NOT reform, then that is indeed voting on principle. The Blue Balled Cowards aren't really selling out the party either, because damn few of them vote as Democrats on anything.

The sellouts would be the DLC corporatists, some of whom campaign on Liberal platforms and then run to the right every time it counts.

Per CNN:

"Rep. Eric Massa, D-New York, announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election... The freshman Democrat said he was announcing his decision to retire early in order to give candidates interested in replacing him sufficient time to plan a campaign."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/03/retiring-democrat-denies-harassment-allegations/?fbid=PE14YTXci2h

The official reason he gave is due to his Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

However, there is talk about a possible charge of sexual harassment from a male staffer.