I hope President Obama is okay. He’s giving a political announcement. But even though we’re told he’s in good health, he’s surrounded by a group of doctors in lab coats.

A new GOP-sponsored bill in the House would replace Ulysses Grant with Ronald Reagan on the $50 bill.

So initial reports had Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) not running for re-election because he’s had a recurrence of cancer. But now Politico is reporting that Massa has been dogged by allegations of sexual harassment of a male staffer (Massa is married with two kids). Politico cites “several” anonymous House aides on “both sides of the aisle.” Massa is holding a conference call at 3:30 ET so we should know the official reason for his withdrawal shortly.

Asked about the allegations by Politico, Massa reportedly said, “When someone makes a decision to leave Congress, everybody says everything. I have health issues. I’ll talk about it [later].”

Massa was the congressional candidate who after losing his 2006 bid was sued for libel by his campaign manager, a case which was settled with a rather unusual statement issued jointly by the two men. Massa went on to win election in 2008.

Massa fired his campaign manager, Sanford Dickert, and later accused him, among other things, of “providing alcohol to underage boys and inviting a teenage boy to spend the night with him,” according to a November 2, 2006 report in the Elmira (NY) Star-Gazette (via Nexis). After being fired Dickert filed suit to force arbitration of the employment dispute. The libel lawsuit was apparently filed by Dickert later. In the settlement statement, Massa retracted his allegations against Dickert. I reached Dickert by phone a few minutes ago and he declined to comment.

Late Update: In a conference call with reporters, Massa rejected the sexual harassment charges as “unsubstantiated without fact or backing,” adding: “Do I or have I ever used salty language especially when I’m angry, in the privacy of my inner office or at home? Yes I have and I’ve apologized where it’s appropriate.” he said the real reason for his decision not to run was his health and the need to slow down the pace of his life.

Our Brian Beutler chased down Rep. Eric Massa after his brief statement this afternoon and got what I think is the first flat denial of the sexual harassment allegations swirling around him. Said Massa: “I made my statement. The allegations are totally false. I’m a salty old sailor. That’s that.”

Today was the first day that same sex couples can file for licenses to marry in the District of Columbia and dozens of couples showed up to tie the knot.

Militia movement meet Waiting for Guffman.

A Sheriff down in Louisiana has set up his own militia to do battle with terrorists and unspecified other “enemies” during periods of political unrest. It’s going to be a pretty wild time. Sheriff Larry Deen plans to arm the volunteers with shotguns, riot shields, batons, and a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on a “war wagon,” as part of “Operation Exodus.”

There’s actually video of the new militia training.

TPM Reader DP checks in from Upstate …

I live in Upstate NY and there is a commercial running quite frequently urging people to call Arcuri and tell him to vote no. They link him to Pelosi and spew a lot of untruths (income tax surcharge, massive medicare cuts, government take over of health care) and suggest that Arcuri is the critical vote. I think the commercial is from Concerned Voters of America. Arcuri’s district is fairly rural and pretty conservative by NY standards and he really squeaked out a victory last time against a poorly funded candidate. He may be feeling the heat.

It’s no good for a family values Republican to get picked up on a DUI. But substantially worse to get picked up for a DUI after leaving a gay nightclub with an unidentified man in a state vehicle.

That’s the sorry state that befell California state Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) early Wednesday. Read More

Can Obama get health care reform through the House? “I think he has succeeded in prying open a window of opportunity, but it’s a very narrow window,” says freshman Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA). “And he and the leadership here had better clamber through that narrow window while they can.” That and the day’s other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

Jon Stewart on Sarah Palin’s comedy routine: Please, quit your day job! Watch.