The senior staff, one of whom said he heard Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) making lewd remarks to young staffers, tried to manage the problem internally. But reports of Massa’s inappropriate behavior continued, leaving junior workers feeling helpless, according to victims, other staffers and sources close to an ongoing House ethics investigation. Most asked not to be named due to the ethics probe and the risk of hurting their job prospects.
This account, drawn from more than two dozen interviews and internal documents, shows that aides were accusing the 50-year-old married lawmaker of far more egregious behavior than previously known. Beginning in March 2009 and over the next several months, male staffers complained that their boss had touched them in a sexual manner, came up with reasons to have staffers travel alone with him on overnight trips, and expressed a desire to have sex with the men in the office.
One theme you will notice if you read the story is that the out gay staff members behaved responsibly and ethically. This is in contrast to the closeted former member of Congress who behaved like a lech. Whether in the Catholic Church or Congress, those who hide in the closet often act out their sexuality in unhealthy ways. While those who are out and proud live honesty and openly. The contrast is quite dramatic in the Washington Post expose.
When one hides their very essence and suppresses their soul – the results can be rather grotesque. In a worse case scenario, obscene individuals, such as Porno Pete LaBarbera or Eric Massa, are created – who try to destroy everything they may potentially find alluring.
The closet is destructive on so many levels. It is no way to live.
