The Last Republican?
May 8th, 2008
Given our focus on policy and issues, we have avoided the travails of Rep. Vito Fossella since his arrest for drunk driving last week. For those of you have taken a similar tact, the congressman from Staten Island and Brooklyn was arrested in northern Virginia early Thursday morning with a blood alcohol level of about twice the legal limit. With his judgment perhaps clouded by the wine that (according to the police document) had stained his lips, Fossella called a “friend” to pick him up following his arrest. Now it turn outs she’s more than a friend — and the married politician is the father of her three-year-old daughter. Fossella acknowledged this in a statement released today.
And so Fossella seems poised to become the next New York politician to see his career fall victim to scandal.
The lone Republican in the city’s congressional delegation (and member of a rapidly shrinking state GOP contingent that suffered heavy losses in the ‘06 elections) Fossella was already facing two likely Democratic challengers: term limited Brooklyn City Councilmember Dominic Recchia and Steven Harrison, a lawyer who managed to garner 43 percent of the vote when he mounted a seemingly quixotic challenge to Fossella in 2006.
But Fossella could be gone before voters go to the polls. Some onetime supporters, including Conservative Party chair Michael Long and Frank Morano, an Independence Party activist who described himself as Fossella’ friend, are hardly rushing to his side. House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio said, “I think Mr. Fossella is going to have some decisions to make over the weekend.”
Who’s waiting in the wings? The Daily Politics reports that the national GOP will begin polling to see how State Island District Attorney Dan Donovan and State Senator Andrew Lanza might fare in a congressional race. And smelling blood, the Democrats reportedly are mulling other candidates as well, such as State Assemblymember Mike Cusick and State Sen. Diane Savino. (One possible problem with Recchia and Harrison is they both live in Brooklyn, and the bulk of the 13th district is on Staten Island.)
One final note: Whatever Fossella’s persona and political failings, thanks to the congressman and his wife for sparing us the “stand by your man” news conference — at least for now.
By Gail Robinson on May 8, 2008, 2:02 pmIn category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City
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