Just when the spotlight seemed to have faded from disgraced former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y), the congressman who resigned after a wave of sexual harassment allegations, opened up in a lengthy profile in Esquire magazine.
The piece, written by Ryan D'Agostino, likely won't do Massa any favors in convincing readers that he is more normal -- or perhaps more misunderstood -- than he led people to believe in multiple media appearances in March.
Among the revelations from Esquire:
Advertisement
- Massa twice attempted suicide in the lead-up to his resignation, the Congressman told D'Agostino.
- Massa's wife was -- not surprisingly -- not pleased: "When Steny Hoyer started comparing Eric to Mark Foley" -- the Florida congressman who was caught sending dirty instant messages to teenage boys working as House pages -- "and making the ethics investigation public, that's when I knew. This is not only Eric's name but my children's, my grandchildren's, and my great-grandchildren's."
- A month before the sexual harassment allegations came to light, Massa had been on a crusade to uncover secret plans of Dick Cheney to get Gen. David Petraeus to run for president. Massa said that in order for Petraeus to "succeed electorally, General Petraeus must fail militarily," and said that his victory would constitute "an American coup d'etat. It is the functional equivalent of the political overthrow of the commander in chief."
- Referring to D'Agostino, Massa said, "What is he, seventeen?" then continued "You better watch yourself around gay bars, my friend. It could get interesting." According to D'Agostino, everyone then laughed.
- Following a night of inebriated revelry, Massa popped an Ambien and walked to the Washington Monument at 4:00AM, eventually calling his staff to pick him up because he couldn't find his way home.
- Massa has considered turning his story into a memoir, or perhaps even a movie.