Eric Massa Retires

Image credit: Massa For Congress. Reduced by Cujo359

Just breaking: Rep. Eric Massa (NY-29) has just announced his retirement from the House. He was a 2008 Slobber And Spittle Blue candidate, and would almost certainly have been on the 2010 slate as well. He was a tireless campaigner for real health care reform, and on that basis alone he'll be sorely missed.

Rep. Massa, according to David Dayen, is retiring due to a recurrence of his cancer.

I wish him, his family, friends, and staff the best.

UPDATE: On the subject of this Politico smear, I have only this to add - the contempt I feel for "reporters" who depend on anonymous sources to smear people who have made those in power uncomfortable is even greater than it used to be. John Bresnahan, Jonathan Allen, and Josh Kraushaar, the authors of this article, have taken a few anonymous whisperings and turned them into a scandal. I don't know much about Eric Massa as a person, but he's not the kind of chickenshit these "journalists" are. He wouldn't be run out of town by an allegation like this.

I don't take catty stories based on anonymous sources seriously, and this is an example of why. As a Navy officer and a civilian, Massa has been working on behalf of his country for most of his adult life. If these three individuals had any sense of shame, they'd be unable to leave their homes for the next few days. They're a disgrace to their profession and their species.

UPDATE 2: Press Connects has a transcript of Eric Massa's statement on his retirement. Here's the opening paragraph:

This last December, I underwent my third major cancer reoccurrence scare. I was briefly hospitalized and kept it private between myself and my immediate family. It was a very intense and personal experience, especially with my having gone through this before. I’m a very salty guy. I’m a very direct guy, and I run at about 100 mph, and my doctors have made it clear to me that I can no longer do that. It is therefore only fair and right that I announce today that I will not seek re-election to this office, and I’m making this announcement early so that others may consider a run, should they decide to do so.

Eric Massa's Statement

Cancer, particularly when it has recurred, is something that can dominate someone's life. That's all the explanation a rational person would need for a retirement of this kind.

UPDATE 3: Politico is now saying that a complaint has been brought to House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer's office.