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Last week, the House sent a strong public signal - with an overwhelming bipartisan vote - that an investigation of what House Democratic leaders knew about the allegations against former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa, and what actions they took after learning of those allegations, is necessary.  These questions must be answered.

CNN reported yesterday:

Republicans continue to push for an in-depth investigation into former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa’s alleged sexual harassment scandal — questioning when Democratic leaders knew, and whether they failed to act…A report in The Washington Post said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office was notified of the situation within Massa’s office in October by Joe Racalto, a top Massa aide, concerned about his boss’ behavior. Pelosi said in published reports that she was notified about the sexual harassment claims on March 3.

As Peter Roff, at US News & World Report’s Thomas Jefferson Street blog, noted last week:

[Nancy Pelosi] came to the speakership promising to "drain the swamp’ after a series of ethical embarrassments cost the GOP its majority in 2006.  Only she failed here as well, trying to build a small air force for herself during the initial days of the Obama presidency and by refusing to boot New York Democrat Charlie Rangel from the chairmanship of the Committee on Ways and Means.  She has also failed, apparently, to distinguish herself in the way she dealt with the ethical missteps of another New York Democrat, Eric Massa, now resigned.

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), appearing yesterday on CNN’s State of the Union, discussed the “Massa Mess,” stating:

We’ve seen the trust breakdown between the American people and their Congress.  And it’s been clear to me for some time that we have to work here in this institution to rebuild those bonds of trust.  And when things like this happen, those who are responsible ought to be held accountable.  And in the case of the Member himself, he has resigned.  But it’s also pretty clear that there are a lot of people - including some Democrat leaders on the other side - who were, in fact, informed of this…I don’t know what the answers are.  All I’m asking for is the Ethics Committee is to get to the bottom of - what did people know, when did they know about it, and what did they do about it?”

Listen, when I took over as Leader a little over two years ago, I told my colleagues that I was going to hold them to a higher standard.  The American people have every right to expect that highest ethical standards from their elected officials.  And it’s in that pursuit, that I think that this investigation is warranted.  I don’t know what the outcome is going to be.  But I think that the American people deserve the answers and I think the Congress deserves the answers.

And House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, who was on Fox News Sunday yesterday, said that ” the House Democratic leadership needs to be taken into the Ethics Committee and found out what’s gone on, because there’s a lot of conflicting reports here.”

The American people have every right to expect their Members of Congress to be held to the highest ethical standards.  The House’s overwhelming vote last week confirms that Members on both sides of the aisle expect the Ethics Committee to investigate this issue promptly and thoroughly.