Eric Massa claims check was forged for accuser
Former Rep. Eric Massa said yesterday that someone forged a $40,000 salary increase for his chief of staff, who has accused the ex-lawmaker of sexual harassment.
The upstate New York Democrat also denied authorizing a check from a campaign account in the same amount to the same official, Joe Racalto, according to a statement released by Massa's attorney.
Racalto's attorney denied the allegations and said both transactions were done at Massa's direction.
The exchange came one day after Racalto revealed he had filed a sexual harassment complaint against the former congressman, who announced March 5 that he would resign.
"The amount of $40,000 was determined solely by Mr. Racalto," the statement to The Associated Press said. "Mr. Racalto never communicated the $40,000 amount of the payment to Mr. Massa."
Massa's statement also alleged that "someone forged then-Congressman Massa's signature on forms raising Mr. Racalto's own salary as a member of the congressman's personal staff from $120,000 per year to the maximum permissible level of $160,000."
The statement did not say when that happened.
- AP
