Rep. Massa on Healthcare: “I will vote adamantly against the interests of my district…”

August 18, 2009

The words of a local congressman on the issue of healthcare are coming under scrutiny.

Democrat Eric Massa told a group in Pennsylvania that he would vote against the interests of his constituents on healthcare reform if he believes what he’s voting for would be helpful to them.

Massa has held dozens of town hall meetings, many focused on healthcare, but while in Pittsburgh this past weekend meeting with the grassroots progressive political action group Net Roots Nation, Massa answered questions about where he stands on healthcare reform versus where his constituents stand.

“I will vote adamantly against the interests of my district if I actually think what I’m doing is going to help them….I will vote against their opinion if I actually believe it will help them,” Massa said.

To the congressman’s credit, on Sunday in Olean he held another open town hall meeting on healthcare reform and stood to answer questions for more than four hours.

Massa’s press secretary says he has been among the most vigilant representatives when it comes to hosting these meetings and hearing his constituents’ views and that the congressman will be discussing the video in his weekly conference call with the press Tuesday morning.

Hand-held video of the encounter with the congressman surfaced on the Washington Times Web site.
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