Vito Strikes Back!

In New York we certainly have our fair share of politicians who have fallen from grace due to their loins, though very few ever come back. Even those that do don't really come back all the way. Former Congressman Vito Fossella however, is looking to break through that mold (created from the scummy, hiding-a-second-family-on-the-side plaster). His friends over on Staten Island went to bat for him in a big way last night and Vito is looking for a grand re-entrance.

From Staten Island Live:

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --- In a bombshell announcement, the Staten Island Republican Party executive committee last night endorsed former GOP Rep. Vito Fossella to run against Rep. Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) this fall.[...]

Party chairman John Friscia said Fossella was the best candidate to beat McMahon. However, he acknowledged that he has no information Fossella would run.

"It is my firm belief that he [Fossella] is the strongest candidate we can field," Friscia said after the executive committee interviewed candidates for Congress and other races at the Road House in Sunnyside.

If Friscia has the opinion that a two-timing, DUI-collecting ex-Congressman is the best candidate to take back the Staten Island seat, their chances of success are rather grim to say the least. While this news isn't exactly out of left field, it has to be troubling for the folks at the NRCC who are looking to win seats this fall. As for my opinion, I have to defer to NY Dems Executive Director Charlie King, who facetiously called on Vito to go all the way and run for governor.

NY-13: The Other Debate In NY Last Night

While we were all getting for the rumble on Long Island, the candidates running for Staten Island's Congressional seat geared up for a debate of their own. McMahon, Straniere, Cochrane and Morano all had a chance to say what they had to offer as one of them will ultimately replace the current and toxic Congressman Fossella. McMahon showed his strength even before it got started with a rally outside the event. It has been quite an interesting road getting here, as CQ Politics shows us in this recap video. Now we are finally getting to the end of the line and things are as heated as ever.

Here's the responses from one question last night:

Q. Mayor Bloomberg has thrust the issue of term limits back into the spotlight. What is your position on limiting the terms of elected officials at any and all levels of government?

Bob Straniere tells the audience he supports going to voters and letting them decide if there should be term limits for city officials. "If they're going to revisit this issue, they should go back to the voters. We are not some dictatorship," he says. The Republican says that the idea that only one person can lead the city now is "elitist. It's a terrible idea."

Carmine Morano chimes in: "I'm going to say something I never thought I would say: I gotta agree with bob on this." The Independence candidate says he will not seek more than three terms if elected.

Tim Cochrane tells his opponent, "Carmine, you think you have it hard. I have to agree with both of you." Cochrane says that the Bloomberg plan undermines democracy and the will of the people. "Everybody gets stale, folks. It's the way of the world."

Michael McMahon responds last: "I do not believe in term limits."

The Democrat wonders why Straniere didn't call for term limits while he was serving in the Assembly for 24 years. In a pointed dig, McMahon tells the crowd that when voters turned Straniere out of office... "THAT was term limits."

Regardless of the term limits aspect, McMahon took the opportunity to land a punch on Straniere's lapel and it connected. So as Vito leaves office (but before he goes to court today) the residents of New York's 13th got to see the candidates up close and personal and help the undecideds decide. Of course, that may not matter so much, since this race is looking so good for a Democratic pickup.

Return Of The Vito In Staten Island?

Rumor, or shall I say a targeted polling operation has it that Vito Fossella may try to re-enter the race for the Congressional seat that still bears his name. Originally Vito dropped his re-election bid when he was arrested for driving under the influence and the subsequent story of his hidden family (hidden from his wife and three kids) surfaced. The result was the not-so-surprising revelation that the GOP is a fractured bunch down in Staten Island.

Now that Straniere is the nominee and the fact remains that he isn't well liked even amongst his own party, perhaps Vito thinks he can become the hero and save the day (or at least hang on to one seat for the Republican caucus). Either way, this sounds like the latest piece of bad news for an already desperate race on the part of the Republicans.

From The NY Post:

Embattled Staten Island congressman Vito Fossella may be trying to make his way back onto the ballot this November, sources confirmed to The Post last night.

Pollsters reached out to Staten Islanders over the weekend looking for their opinions about Fossella, who chose not to seek re-election after being arrested for DWI and amid revelations that he fathered a child with a mistress. The polling was originally reported in the Staten Island Advance.

Making a run on the Republican ticket might be next to impossible because another pol, Robert Straniere, has already locked up the nomination. "I just don't see it," said one friend, noting Fossella's DWI trial starts next month.

I don't see it working out either, but frankly, I don't see it working out well for the GOP no matter what they do. Straniere is the name on the ballot and Vito would have to presumably be a write-in candidate. It may be more probable for that to work on the Island rather than any other borough, but it is still a long shot for them to even get the party to coalesce, let alone the majority of voters. The really sad thing is though (for the GOP) that an attempted Vito comeback may just be the best thing going for them.

Republicans Eat Themselves Alive In Staten Island

With all the focus on the Democratic Convention this week and the Republicans' main event next week, not much attention is being paid to the local races. However, that does not mean that things are all quiet in the Congressional primary races. Things are especially brutish in what was once thought a Republican-leaning district, that of NY-13 that encompasses Staten Island and a sliver of Brooklyn. Vito Fossella is on his way out and the local GOP has had to fill the gap. Unfortunately for them, the situation has become hellish.

From Staten Island Advance:

In a verbal barrage worthy of the hardcore political battle the Republican congressional primary has turned into, Bob Straniere accused Jim Wyne of trying to hide his Pakistani and Muslim heritage by "changing his name," while Wyne said Straniere wanted him to make an "illegal" campaign contribution when Straniere ran for Staten Island borough president in 2001.

Wyne -- who uses the name Dr. Jamshad Wyne professionally -- said Straniere asked him to take $5,000 of his personal cash and disburse it to relatives who would, in turn, write checks in the amounts of $250 or $200 to Straniere for Borough President, thereby maximizing the amount of matching funds Straniere could receive from the city Campaign Finance Board.

That would be illegal, and as the Advance notes, people have gone to jail for such schemes before. Crookedness and corruption is nothing new to New York and especially the GOP, though of course it can be a bipartisan practice to be fair. However, talk like this is exclusively a "conservative" affair:

Meanwhile, during an interview yesterday, Straniere said Wyne has been using the name "Jim" on the campaign trail because "he is trying to remake himself into something other than who is. He obviously doesn't want people to know he is Pakistani and a Muslim."

Way to play the race card Straniere, you must do the GOP party proud....oh wait, no, Straniere doesn't even do that. Straniere and GOP Borough President James Molinaro have gone head to head before and the two have, shall we say, less than warm feelings for each other. However this primary plays out, it is the Dems that have the advantage here.

Harrison/McMahon Versus Somebody

The NY Times did a write-up this week on the differences between the two Democratic candidates running for Congress in Staten Island (with a sliver of Brooklyn too). As anyone can easily see, there are plenty of contrasts between the grassroots-energized Harrison and 'moderate' Councilman McMahon. Steve Harrison has worn out multiple pairs of shoes walking the district while Michael McMahon got the full backing of the Democratic establishment once Vito self-destructed.

Here are just a few differences:

Political labels aside, there are stark differences between the two. Mr. Harrison opposes capital punishment, while Mr. McMahon supports it. The councilman favors nearly all means of addressing the nation’s energy problems, including offshore drilling, something Mr. Harrison opposes. Mr. McMahon supported Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s ultimately unsuccessful congestion pricing plan, while Mr. Harrison opposed it.

On the Iraq war, Mr. Harrison has demanded an immediate withdrawal of American troops, while Mr. McMahon said he supported “a responsible redeployment of our troops in Iraq.”

New York's top Democrats have made life very hard for the progressive Harrison and with all that money, the race for the nomination this year is much tougher. As a liberal, I'd love to see Steve win this, despite the long odds. McMahon reminds me of the DLC Republican-lite crap that has been a losing proposition for too many Democrats over the years. People want to see a candidate with principles and a backbone and frankly, the Councilman looks like he is just playing politics and not standing up for what is right.

Of course, come November when either Harrison or McMahon is up against what's their faces, ultimately there will be one more member in the Democratic caucus, c/o Staten Island.

GOP Reject Now Carrying Their Banner In Staten Island

Just as Charlie Cook keeps uprating the Democratic party's chances in NY-13, the Republicans of Staten Island play along and make the prospects of flipping the district that much stronger. The Republican machine (if you can call it that) has decided to go against Independence Party pick Carmine Morano for ex-Assemblyman Robert Straniere. Straniere was defeated a few years back in a re-election bid in his South Shore area. Now this isn't all said and done, that would be too simple. It appears that many Republicans, including James Molinari are not too happy about Straniere's endorsement.

From The Staten Island Advance:

Straniere was tabbed by a five-member GOP committee on vacancies last night to replace the late Frank Powers as the party designee for the bi-borough seat. Straniere is now set to battle Dr. Jamshad Wyne, the GOP finance chairman, in a Sept. 9 party primary.

The vote was 4-1 in Straniere's favor, with only Joseph Borelli, chief of staff to South Shore City Councilman Vincent Ignizio, casting a vote against Straniere.

Ignizio defeated Straniere in a 2004 GOP Assembly primary, ending Straniere's 24-year career in the Legislature, and last night said that he "will not be supporting Bob Straniere for Congress."

So to beg the question, why is there so much hostility in SI Republican-land, especially with the limited pool of talent that the party has down there? Well, as Molinari points out ominously:

Two words that strike me: Ethics and morality," said Molinari. "There have been so many questions raised about ethics in government over the last few months, the last thing we could have expected is to see someone put up for office with serious ethical concerns. That's mystifying."

Ouch!

I'm going to take a wild guess and say this has nothing to do with hot dogs and everything to do with his time in the Assembly. Of course this could also be a way for Republicans like Molinari and Ignizio to play down expectations of holding onto the seat following Fossella's shameful departure.

NY GOP Still Broke In The 13th

It has been a rough year for Republicans on Staten Island so far. Their embattled, but still incumbent Congressman Vito Fossella was caught driving drunk in Virginia, which subsequently led to the discovery of his secondary family and that brought down his house of cards...and his chances at being re-elected. Then a slew of possible challengers declined to run for the seat and when one finally stepped up, he died tragically of a heart attack. Now the petition filing deadline is looming next week and the only hope they have isn't even a Republican. Oy for them!

From The NYT Cityroom:

Republican leaders say that Mr. Powers campaign had collected about 1,500 signatures on Mr. Powers’s petitions. If there are more than the required 1,250, Mr. Powers’s committee on vacancy would be able to name a candidate to take his place on the ballot. That committee is controlled by party officials.

Mr. Morano said that he was planning to begin collecting signatures to qualify for the Republican line, apart from Mr. Powers’ petitions, in the event he is selected by Republican leaders to run on that party’s line.

Meanwhile, Jamshad Wyne, a cardiologist who is the finance chairman of the Staten Island Republican Party, is also a candidate for the seat. Dr. Wyne said that he has already collected 2,000 signatures and that he plans to continue getting more until the filing deadline.

But he has little support among the party’s leaders. They point to the fact that Dr. Wyne was fined $5,000 and placed on probation for three years in 2003 by the state Health Department’s Board for Professional Medical Conduct. The board said that he had practiced “with negligence on more than one occasion.”

So right now, the battle is between an Independence Party member and a negligent cardiologist. I'd really hate to be in Guy Molinari's shoes right now. How embarrassing would it be if they lost the seat in blowout fashion. It certainly could happen, and as we work for the Democratic nominee, whether it be a progressive like Harrison or Councilman McMahon, we will flip NY-13 to the Democratic Party.

Frank Powers Passed Away Today

Sad news to report from Staten Island, presumptive Republican nominee for the 13th Congressional District of New York died of a heart attack today, he was 68. It is a terrible tragedy for the Powers family and I give them my whole-hearted sympathies and prayers. It is hard to imagine in 2008, but there are some things that are above politics, despite some sick minds out there. Of course this news also brings political complications with it, as Staten Island GOP members have mentioned already.

From The Daily Politics:

GOP and law enforcement sources confirmed Powers, 68, a retired Wall Street executive and MTA board member, died at his Annfield Court home on Staten Island.

"We're back to square one in terms of finding a candidate," said one obviously shaken Staten Island Republican. "You go from the bizarre to the surreal around here."[...]

News raced through political circles Sunday, causing concern and dismay among local Republicans, many of whom are still reeling from the drunk driving arrest and out-of-wedlock child revelation that caused Republican Rep. Vito Fossella to decline to seek another term this fall.

"I think we need to back to the well and revisit everybody we considered," said Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig Eaton. "Some time has gone by since all those people said they weren't interested."

That list includes: Sen. Andrew Lanza, Councilman James Oddo, Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan and Paul Atanasio, an enrolled Conservative whom Eaton's organization first endorsed before following the Staten Island GOP's lead and backing Powers in the interest of party unity.

It is a sad day for the Powers' family, but a continuous struggle for the GOP down in Staten Island and the southern parts of Brooklyn.

Councilman McMahon Won't Answer Iraq War Questions

The last month or so has been quite unsettling since Vito Fossella announced his intentions to not run for re-election. For some reason, establishment Democrats took this to mean that only now is there ample opportunity to pick up the last Republican-held Congressional seat in New York City. That false alarm (because the district was ripe to turn before Vito's DWI/love child story came out) has produced an establishment candidate in the form of Staten Island Councilman Michael McMahon.

Now, progressive/liberal Democrats have already had a candidate that supports their issues by and large in Steve Harrison. He is adamantly against the war and all things George Bush. So why the establishment (NY's Congressional delegation, Staten Island's Dem County Cmte, etc) would pick McMahon without investigating issues and allowing for a primary is ridiculous. What is more ridiculous is that McMahon seems to agree with Bush on a few things, like Iraq.

From The Daily Gotham:

To focus then on some of the issues which are crucial, in my view, I asked Council Member McMahon some questions He replied in part and you can (and should) judge those answers for yourself.

Below, however, are three questions which Council Member McMahon didn't answer. Because I respect the abilities of those who prepared the answers, I am persuaded that the omissions are deliberate. Those omitted answers concern issues which members of the next Congress will actually face.

More war? Mr. McMahon did not state whether, were he a member of Congress, he would favor or oppose further Iraq war funding. Billions of dollars, needed at home, are funneled into Iraq-war-profiteers and into an immoral and evil war. Check it out in more detail here . If we're to believe Nobel-prize economist Joseph Stiglitz, the total tab will come to three trillion . Can Mr. McMahon say no to such squandering? He doesn't say.

Permanent bases? Mr. McMahon is silent on the issue of long-term Iraq occupation. Mr. McCain proposes that US troops remain for 100 years. Long term basing is crucial now as Mr. Bush & Mr. Cheney seek to force a Status of Forces Agreement" (SOFA) on the Iraqis and us. (For more on SOFA problems read smintheus's Kos post ) Would Mr. McMahon, were he in Congress oppose long-term basing of US forces in Iraq?

Detainee rights? Under the misleadership of John McCain, Congress tried to bar detainees labeled as "enemy combatants" by Mr. Bush from seeking court review of the lawfulness of their detention. By 5-4 the Supreme Court barred this end run around the Constitution. Mr. McCain proposes yet one more try to keep people from having their day in court. Will Mr. McMahon support justice or kangaroo courts? He doesn't say.

I expect non-answers from moderate Republicans running for this seat, not a Democratic politician and certainly not in this climate and this year. McMahon is more of a DLC product than anything resembling the man at the top of the ticket. The Democratic leadership supporting him is "playing it safe" and for the most part, that attitude has made us lose elections, not win them.

NY-13 Soap Opera Continues, Meet Powers, Jr.

If you would have told me a year ago that the Republican incumbent in Staten Island would get himself a DWI, confess to the press (and his wife and children) about his love child and mistress living outside of D.C. (blogger takes a deep breath), puts us on a roller coaster few weeks before ultimately deciding to bow out of his re-election race and watch the GOP fail miserably to farm a candidate to replace him, I'd have told you.....yeah, I can believe that.

Due to Fossella's departure, the Democratic Party has a primary between Steve Harrison and Michael McMahon. The Republicans were only able to muster up Frank Powers, a political nobody that has helped shutdown health care facilities on the Island. With all of those twists and turns, we have another one added to the mix today.

From The Staten Island Advance:

An already topsy-turvy political year grew even more so today when Francis M. Powers, the son of GOP designee Francis H. Powers, said he would seek the Libertarian Party line to run for the 13th Congressional District seat.

"This is not about my dad," said the younger Powers, 47, a master carpenter from Clifton who plays and sings with the Staten Island band Box of Crayons and runs an indie record label called Penny for the Guy Records. "I'm running against the Republican candidate."[...]

When asked about the timing of his entry into the race, Powers said, "Me being his son gives me a different platform than normal," a platform that Powers said he wouldn't have against another candidate. "We can't have the Republicans take this seat again," he added. "A vote for my father is a vote for the straight Republican ticket."

"I've tried very hard for many years to help my son," the elder Powers said in a statement released by his campaign.

Now that is some good ol' fatherly love. Nothing like bashing your kid running for Congress after he hits you with his announcement to run against him and split the conservative base. If that wasn't enough, the insurgent carpenter also managed to spit in the face of the voters who are going to have at least a little trouble deciding on which Powers to go with:

When asked about the head scratching that might cause voters, Powers said, "If people can't tell the difference between the Republican Party and the Libertarian Party, maybe they shouldn't be voting."

It may only be June, but I think it is time to stick a fork in the chances of both Powers, Senior and Junior. Of course, that won't stop the continued reporting from this "very interesting" race.

LMAO!

Republicans Practically Concede NY-13

In the last two days the Democratic and the Republican leadership of Staten Island signaled who they want to be their nominee. First the Democratic Committee went with Staten Island Councilman Michael McMahon after a few others were looked at as well as forgoing last year's nominee Steve Harrison. The Republicans however, went through almost twenty different names and their pick shows how badly they expect to do this come November.

From NY-13:

The Republican Party just pulled a fast one on itself. After having 19 potential candidates they passed on and then declaring a front runner no one had ever heard of they nominated someone who wasn't even good enough to be in those top 20.

So Frank Powers is their nominee. Who is he? No clue. But the Advance tells us;
Powers is on the board of directors of Richmond University Medical Center and has served as President of the Staten Island Academy. He served on the Board of the former St. Vincent's Medical Center for over 20 years and is a past president of the Downtown Athletic Club and past president of the Heisman Trophy Foundation. He served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, and Chairman of the USS Sullivan's' Foundation. He is the former Chairman of the Board of St. Elizabeth Ann's Health Care and Rehabilitation Center. He was elected to the Board of the MTA in 2005. Powers also currently serves on the Board of Wagner College.

So this guy serves on the board of a medical center that is closing clinics across the district and creating major health care concerns. He is on the board of the MTA, which mismanages transportation and funds and is the bane of existance for so many in the district. Oh but he is used to be president of the Heisman Trophy Foundation. Makes sense. He is loaded and can self finance. Congrats Republicans.

Congratulations indeed. Perhaps he can make himself a trophy for his efforts after he loses the seat for the NY GOP. All of that money is going to be needed to try and combat his image of helping to worsen health care on the island. Of course as of now he really doesn't have an image while his opponent has been representing a large portion of the island in City Hall for a few years.

Though you know, that Heisman Trophy thing reminds me of another notable Republican. Some guy who did a heck of a job managing horses. Oh and that baseball team owner too. Perhaps sports and politics don't always go together so well, especially here.

Congressman.....Curtis Sliwa?

The race for New York's 13th Congressional District is still wide open for Republicans, with several names already have been floated and subsequently dropped from the radar screen. Now that the Democratic Party has practically chosen it's candidate (over the hardworking, progressive Steve Harrison), the GOP will need someone to try and hold the seat. With no one really coming forward, what is their base to do? The party has done a terrible job of creating backup for Vito and now they're going to pay for it. Just look at who has come out of the woodwork recently.

From The NY Daily News:

With Republicans struggling to find a replacement for the disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella, Curtis Sliwa thinks he may have found the GOP's perfect angel - himself.

The WABC radio talk show host and Guardian Angels founder said Wednesday he'd be willing to run for the 13th Congressional District seat - which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn - if no one from the district steps forward.[...]

"I can be the fail-safe guy," Sliwa told the Daily News, a day after he made his willingness clear in a letter to Staten Island GOP Chairman John Friscia.

Local Republican leaders said a Sliwa bid was worth considering - provided the straight-talking, beret-wearing radio host isn't just trying to boost his ratings.

Curtis is also known for being shot multiple times in the back of a cab, presumably a failed hit job by the Gotti family back in 1992 due to various comments Sliwa made about Gotti, Sr. He has done a lot in his 54 years and is definitely quite the character. Of course, if this is the best the Republicans can do against a seasoned NY legislator like Michael McMahon then I look forward to taking back the final Congressional District in NYC for the Democratic Party.

GOP Still Without A Candidate In NY-13

Time flies in politics and now that Vito Fossella/DWI/love child bombshell hit NYC feels like forever ago. Well, just a few weeks but with a primary less than four months from now and the general election to hold the seat within six, things are getting dicey for the Republicans in Staten Island. There were a couple big names like Wiese and Donovan that were floated to take over once Fossella decided to not run for re-election, but they are long gone and the Grand Old Party is desperately looking for someone to pick up their flag.

From The Staten Island Advance:

While the seat is considered the crown jewel of borough politics, top Republicans have been hesitant to get in the race. Two other top-tier candidates, District Attorney Daniel Donovan and County Clerk Stephen Fiala, took their names out of consideration last week.

The party's inability to lock in a high-profile candidate is not sitting well with some Republicans.

WAKE-UP CALL

"It's a wake-up call," said one. "We can't be one-personcentric. Because when that one person goes down, we all go down."

The borough GOP has been accused of becoming too reliant on Fossella in recent years at the expense of developing a strong enough bench.

"Talk about dysfunctional?" said another. "This is dysfunctional."

I whole-heartedly agree. The Republican apparatus has been plateauing for some time now and they haven't done much about the fact that Dems have sailed by them. The district now leans Democratic and they are poised to add NY-13 to Democratic Congressional Delegation from New York.

Vito Is On His Way Out, Recchia Too!

There were three people running for New York's 13th Congressional district but now its down to one. Both incumbent Vito Fossella and challenger Dominic Recchia are dropping out of the race. Vito's reasons are a little more in depth than Recchia, with the affair, love child, DWI, future ex-con status, hypocritical stance on marriage, screwing the taxpayers, you get what I'm saying. Well today is the day both exit stage left and what are we going to be left with?

From The Daily Politics:

Fossella was reportedly scheduled to break the news to his staff via an early-morning conference call tomorrow, but word started leaking out late tonight and the congressman's hand was forced.

He provided the following statement to The Staten Island Advance:

"After a great deal of consideration, I have made the decision not to seek re-election to the United States House of Representatives this November. This choice was an extremely difficult one, balanced between my dedication to service to our great nation and the need to concentrate on healing the wounds I have caused to my wife and family."

"Despite the personal mistakes I have made, I am touched by the outpouring of support and encouragement I have received from so many people. Their kind words and prayers during this difficult time mean more to me than I can express. And while many have urged me to run for re-election, I believe this course of action is best for my family and our community."

This comes as details continue to emerge about how Fossella and a former Air Force colonel, Laura Fay, with whom he fathered a child out of wedlock, trysted while traveling on taxpayer funded junkets.

And Recchia?

On the Democratic side, a source confirms the rumor that Councilman Domenic Recchia is NOT expected to follow through with his nascent bid for Fossella's seat, despite the fact that he is sitting on some $325,000.

That leaves Brooklyn attorney Stephen Harrison, who ran an unsuccessful challenge to Fossella in 2006, as the lone announced candidate.

Now wait a minute here. Harrison may have been unsuccessful, but he came closer than any other challenger in quite sometime and pulled in over 43 percent of the vote with no help from the party. He was outspent 13 to 1 and earned the respect of the local Democratic clubs. If the party brass would have help him out, he can take back the district for the Dems this year. I know the establishment wants someone from Staten Island, but Steve has proven he will fight for every single resident of NY-13, whether they be in his native Brooklyn or Staten Island.

Vito Fossella Listened To Me!

I know I'm relatively a fresh face in New York City and even more so in local politics, but I'm going to go ahead and declare victory on this one. Vito Fossella made it official in the afternoon today and declared he will officially be running for re-election in the 13th Congressional District of New York. As the lone Republican Congressman in New York City, he faces quite the challenge now that the public knows the stench of his dirty laundry. I told him to stay in earlier today and I'm glad that he has taken my advice.

From The NY Post:

Defying disgusted constituents and angry Republican leaders, disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella has told pals he plans to seek re-election.

And, shockingly, the Staten Island pol is feeling "pretty good," he confided to friends.[...]

Fossella's statements not only defy national party leaders, who have said they will not back him, but suggest the congressman may be in denial.

He even expressed shock that other Republicans are eyeing his seat.

"What's this all about?" Fossella asked Molinari, of news reports naming potential GOP candidates.

He said he was "surprised" and "puzzled" that party colleagues are being mentioned as possible replacements, Molinari said.

Surprised? Puzzled? Why would anyone think of challenging Vito? Doesn't everyone have love children (for some reason writing that in the plural form seems strange) with their girlfriends that live in other states? Why would that make an elected official look less trustworthy to the public? Oh, because it shows he's nothing but a dirty scumbag, yeah, thats right.

Congratulations on deciding to stay in the race, I cannot wait to see you beaten to a (figurative) pulp in the general election in less than six months from now.

Stay Vito, Stay!

Its a wet and windy day outside and the same can be said for conditions surrounding Congressman Vito Fossella. The briefly national story is still whipping itself into a frenzy here in New York and Vito is reaching F5 status all on his own. Nothing is official yet, but the Congressman is now looking to stay in the race to be re-elected in Staten Island. That means that we have the right to make sure he stays newsworthy and to expose all of the family values that has run on and voted for. I don't even know what story to start on about him, so I'll just leave you with a few stories that Liz at the NY Daily News is linking to.

From The Daily Politics:

The romance between Fossella and Laura Fay, the mother of his illegitimate daughter, blossomed during a taxpayer-funded congressional trip to Malta in 2002.

If Fossella does decide to run for re-election, he shouldn't count on getting any help from the NRCC - or most other Republicans, for that matter.

Only Fossella knows what he will do next, and he's not talking, causing the speculation machine to run overtime.

Fossella's longtime ally and mentor, former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, told The Post the congressman had every intention of running again this fall, but then backed away from that statement in an interview with the SI Advance.

An anonymous "high-ranking Republican source on Staten Island" insisted to NY1 that Fossella is indeed going to run again.

Staten Islanders have a lot to say on this topic.

A SurveyUSA poll conducted the same day the love child story broke found 61 percent of adults in Fossella's disitrict, the 13th CD, say he should stay in office; 53 percent believe he should seek re-election.

A Fossella fundraiser scheduled for Saturday at the home of Northfield Bank Chairman and CEO John Alexander was canceled.

The "family-values" congressman reportedly shunned his sister because she's gay.

Fossella's wife, Mary Pat, celebrated Mother's Day with her extended family, friends and her three children; her husband was nowhere to be seen.

Fay and her 3-year-old daughter, Natalie, have been keeping a low profile, too.

Both the congressman's wife and his mistress are considering dumping him.

And that is only a few of things going on around Mr. Fossella. Taxpayer-funded trysts (who does that remind you of?), shunning his sister for her sexual-orientation and being dumped by both his wife and mistress are my three favorites. What about you?

Seriously I can not wait for Steve Harrison to wallop Vito upside the head with this and his voting record as the Democrats take back this seat in Congress. So by all means Vito, please, please, pretty please stay in the race.

Fossella Is Finished

The GOP is nothing if not top-down (and corrupt, self-serving, greedy, etc) and when the leadership says something in the midst of one member's scandal, the clouds for that person turn dark and ominous. That is what happened today to Vito Fossella after he admitted to an extramarital affair and that he has a three year old daughter with the woman that bailed him out of jail last week. None other than John Boehner laid down the law when the press asked him about the development.

From Politico:

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday that fellow Republican Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) should do some serious thinking over the weekend about his political future.

Earlier in the day, Fossella acknowledged that he “had a relationship” with Laura Fay, a retired Air Force officer who paid his bail after he was arrested last week for drunk driving — and that he is the father of her 3-year-old daughter.

“I think Mr. Fossella is going to have some decisions to make over the weekend,” Boehner said at a press conference with reporters.

“I would hope and frankly expect, that this is a decision between he and his family," Boehner said.

Um, would that be his New York family or his Virginia family?

Fossella's Troubles Take On An Entirely New Level

Just when it couldn't get any worse for Vito Fossella, the determination of the New York press corp (especially the NY Post) dug for the heart of the story surrounding Vito's DWI last week. It turns out that the woman who helped his sorry butt out of a Virginia jail is not only his lover (besides his wife that is) but the mother of his three year old child. Vito becomes the latest New York politician to be snarled by sex and illegalities (some combination of the two at least).

From The NY Times:

Representative Vito J. Fossella, a Staten Island Republican who was arrested on May 1 in Alexandria, Va., and charged with drunken driving, issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging that he had had an extramarital affair with Laura Fay, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel, and that the two of them had a 3-year-old daughter together.

The prospect that Mr. Fossella could face a mandatory jail sentence if convicted of drunken driving has already threatened to bring to an end his decade-long career in the House, where Mr. Fossella is the only Republican representing New York City. The Daily News has reported that Mr. Fossella called Ms. Fay for help after his arrest and told the officers who arrested him that he was on his way to visit a sick daughter. As speculation swirled over Mr. Fossella’s relationship with Ms. Fay in recent days, his aides said only that they were good friends.

The full text of Mr. Fossella’s four-sentence statement follows:

I have had a relationship with Laura Fay, with whom I have a three-year-old daughter. My personal failings and imperfections have caused enormous pain to the people I love and I am truly sorry. While I understand that there will be many questions, including those about my political future, making any political decisions right now are furthest from my mind. Over the coming weeks and months, I will to continue to do my job and I will work hard to heal the deep wounds I have caused.

Mr. Fossella, 43, was driving with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit when he was pulled over and faces a mandatory five days in jail if convicted.

Not only is the Congressman expected to be an ex-con (unless the judge shows him mercy) but a full-fledged bastard. How will Staten Island react to all this? That is definitely one huge question, though whether he will remain in the race for his re-election is another. The Republican party has already started to distance itself from him and they might just have to relinquish the 13th Congressional District of New York without much of a fight. His stock is rapidly being devalued and with six months until the election, the NY GOP would have to come up with a challenger quickly.

Of course this is all in the early stages, so stay tuned to see how this drama unfolds.

Vito's Troubles Continue

This story couldn't have happened to a better guy than Vito Fossella, currently occupying New York's 13th Congressional District. Drunk driving is, as Vito said, a bad error in judgment, though not necessarily something that affects his judgment as a Congressman. There are plenty of bad political judgments on Vito's part that have nothing to do with driving a car under the influence of drugs (yes, alcohol is a drug). Still, this is an election year and this DWI will play into how voters cast their ballots in November. The story could have gone away within a few days, but now there's more ethical troubles for Mr. Fossella.

From The NY Daily News:

This is the first look at the mystery woman whom Rep. Vito Fossella (R-S.I.) called for help after he was charged with drunken driving in Virginia.

Laura Fay, wearing sunglasses and dressed in jogging clothes, refused to comment when she was approached over the weekend.

Fay is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and marathon runner. Public records show the divorcee owns a townhouse in Alexandria, Va. She also reportedly has a 3-year-old daughter.

Fossella aides continued to describe the two only as good friends. Fay picked up Fossella last Thursday morning, seven hours after he was arrested for running a red light 3 miles away from her townhouse.

The mystery woman sounds scandalous, but the real problem is that he is using campaign funds to pay for a high-priced "damage control" firm. It isn't illegal, but as Dick Dadey of the Citizens Union said, "...it shows bad judgment." That is what is at the heart of this, Vito has bad judgment all around and this is just one example of it, or should I say three bad examples.

Vito Fossella Gets Himself Into A DUI-sey

I rarely write more than one post a day on the 13th Congressional District of New York in one day, but today Congressman Fossella pressured me into it. See Staten Island's Congressman not only helped pen an Op-Ed in the NY Daily News today, he was arrested for drunk driving late last night down in the Washington area.

From The Washington Post:

Rep. Vito J. Fossella (R-N.Y.) was arrested overnight in Alexandria and charged with driving while intoxicated, court records showed today.

Fossella is scheduled to appear in Alexandria General District Court on May 12 for an advisement hearing, the records said.

No other details were immediately available.

Reached by phone, Fossella's communication director had no immediate comment on the report.

If I were working for Vito, I'd have no comment either, so I don't blame the poor staffer. Maybe Vito had trouble writing that phony piece about FISA last night before it was published and he decided to get hammered. Later on in the day Vito did come out and make a statement that drinking and driving is bad and that as a parent he knows better. He also apologized for embarrassing his district.

Um Vito, the DWI is embarrassing for you and your family. The district is embarrassed because you side with George Bush, you support his war and abandoning the rule of law so that telecommunication companies can escape prosecution for their crimes against the American people. Though before the voters get to you on that this November, you'll have to deal with the rule of law for your own person first.