Yesterday, Vito Fossella led a protest in Staten Island against the building of a mosque two blocks from the World Trade Center site. The Staten Island Advance, which says it was peaceful, reports the former Congressman (who left office in disgrace), said, "We made promises to be the voices of those that died on September 11, 2001. A mosque on that site undermines the efforts to ensure that that hollowed ground remain sacred." more ›

Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is taking a break from telling New York that a mosque shouldn't be built two blocks from Ground Zero. But before you breathe a sigh of relief, she's trying to tell voters of the 13th Congressional District (Staten Island and tiny bit of Brooklyn) who they should vote for: The Mama Grizzly endorsed Republican hopeful Michael Grimm via Facebook! more ›

Ha! Disgraced former Congressman Vito Fossella has told the Staten Island GOP—which, much to the surprise of its members, endorsed him to run for his old seat this fall—that he will not run for office. He also held a press conference outside his Manhattan office today, "I'm where I need to be, where I want to be," though he's "humbled and honored" by the endorsement, "As a result... I will not seek election to Congress this year." more ›

What a difference a nomination from the Staten Island GOP makes: Former Congressman Vito Fossella, who decided not to run for reelection in 2008 after the DWI arrest/lovechild revelation, told reporters, "A lot of things to consider" about the surprising (or maybe not so surprising) support from the party to challenge Rep. Michael McMahon (D) for his old seat. more ›

Former Congressman Vito Fossella, who decided not to run for reelection in 2008 when a DWI led to revelations about a mistress and a love child, was nominated by the Staten Island GOP Executive Committee last night to run against Rep. Michael McMahon (D). The Advance reports that party chairman John Friscia said, "It is my firm belief that he [Fossella] is the strongest candidate we can field," yet "acknowledged that he has no information Fossella would run." more ›

Former Congressman Vito Fossella may have had a DWI, which led to the revelation that the woman who picked him up from the Alexandria, Virginia police station was actually the mother of his love child—but that doesn't mean he can't run for his old seat again! According to Politico, he is "seriously considering entering the race for his old seat" representing Staten Island (and a little bit of Brooklyn). more ›

Former Congressman Vito Fossella checked into Virginia's Alexandria Detention Center to serve the first half of his four-day sentence for a May 2008 DUI. The Daily News has a photo of him being dropped off and opined that he "seemed dressed more appropriately for a weekend barbecue than a stay in the slammer," given his jeans and pink polo shirt. The Staten Island Advance reveals that he "likely will be kept alone in the small cell painted white with long slits for windows, a steel sink and toilet and a cement bunk for a bed," though "he may be given a roommate if the jail becomes crowded." Other former inmates who have been at the ADC: al Qaeda suspect Zacarias Moussaoui, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh and spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. Fossella will get out tomorrow at 6 p.m. and will need to spend another weekend there to complete the sentence. Some believe he may try to re-enter politics again, in spite of the DUI conviction and admission that he has a mistress and love child. more ›

A lawyer for Vito Fossella explained the former Congressman's decision to plead guilty to a May 2008 DUI, "He wanted to accept responsibility for what had occurred and he wanted to end this. He wants this behind him. He realizes it was wrong to be drinking and driving that night. He's going to get on with his life." more ›

Former Representative Vito Fossella has pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges. Fossella, who was arrested for the DUI in Alexandria, VA last year, was originally going to appeal his conviction, but instead will face the mandatory sentence of five days in jail. more ›

Rep. Vito Fossella, NYC's lone Republican Congressional member, had a farewell brunch with about a thousand people, including Mayor Bloomberg. Fossella decided not to run for re-election this year when a Virginia DWI led to the revelation Fossella had a child with woman who was not his wife. While he said yesterday he had "no plans to run, no plans to run whatsoever" in the future, the NY Times reports, "it seemed Mr. Fossella was priming his supporters, quite publicly, to back him again...[He] warmly greeted attendees — hugs and handshakes for the men, kisses on the cheek for the women." A notable no-show was Fossella's wife Mary Pat; Fossella was also without his wedding ring. more ›

Rep. Vito Fosella, the city's lone Republican in Congress, will be sentenced today for his DWI conviction. Since his blood alcohol level was 0.17 (more than twice the limit), he could face up to five days behind bars. His May DWI in Alexandria, VA led to a chain of events, including finding out the friend who picked him from jail was actually the mother of his love child and Fossella's decision not to run for re-election. But before you think Vito's career is finito, he's apparently trying to find a job on Wall Street these days (though you know how things are going there). Update: Fossella got a 5-day sentence from the judge who said, "I've been sworn to follow the law." However, Fossella's lawyer filed an appeal, so the sentence is vacated till a jury trial is held. more ›

Democrat Michael McMahon won the Congressional seat vacated by Vito Fossella, who had been the lone Republican Representative from NYC. McMahon, a City Council member, took 61% of the vote; his opponent, Robert Straniere, said, "The tides were against us, and due to events largely out of our control-- including the severe downturn in the global economy and the declining support of the McCain-Palin ticket --things did not go as we had hoped." The Staten Island Advance reports that McMahon referred to Fossella's DWI and love child by saying he wouldn't disgrace the office, "If we roll up our sleeves, we can make times great again." And the Democrats gained 18 other seats in the House--a total of five in the Northeast. more ›

Representative Vito Fossella, NYC's only Republican in the House, was found guilty of drunk driving in Alexandria, VA in May. The judge said, "The court finds the commonwealth has met its burden of proof and finds the defendant guilty." He will be sentenced in December and could face up to five days in jail. The arrest also led to curiosity about the friend who picked up Fossella from the police station and his statement to the police that he ran the red light because his daughter was sick--the friend turned out to be his mistress and the mother of his love child. The Post noted that Fossella was not wearing his wedding ring and that his parents were there, though not his wife or mistress. more ›

The police officer who pulled over Representative Vito Fossella earlier this year for DWI took the stand today at the start of only NYC's Republican Representative's trial. Fossella's lawyers are trying to argue the validity of various sobriety tests ("An alphabet test, a counting test, two balancing tests and a breathalyzer test"). At one point it was suggested that Fossella wobbled during a balancing test because he was nervous and a defense lawyer asked police officer Jamie Gernatt to perform one of the balancing acts. Gernatt said, "I completed the test and I'm pretty nervous right now." The DWI arrest led to the discovery that Fossella had a mistress and love child, a scandal which then led to the married-with-three kids Fossella to not seek re-election. more ›

All but one of NYC's representatives in Congress voted for the $700 billion bailout package that failed in the House of Representatives yesterday (Bronx Democrat Jose Serrano voted against it). more ›

Insanity! Even though the Republican nominee for Vito Fossella's congressional seat is Robert Straniere, the Manhattan GOP nominated Straniere to a State Supreme Court judgeship. Which, as the Advance suggests, could help baby-daddy, DWI arrestee Fossella "to re-enter the race by allowing Straniere to get off the GOP congressional line." However, Straniere (who is not popular among Republicans) is adamant about running for Congress, " I'm not getting off the line for nobody, no way, no how. I am totally committed to this race. I'm not going to do anything but run for Congress... I don't want to be a judge." Stay tuned. more ›

Who says a DWI arrest and love child with a woman other than your wife can keep you down? The Staten Island Advance reports that voters in the 13th Congressional district received "calls from a polling firm, asking them for their opinions about...scandal-scarred" Vito Fossella--which then raises questions about whether the rep is thinking about jumping in the race for his seat. However, Robert Straniere is the GOP nominee and says he won't step aside, saying this sounded like "more spin and dirty tricks from disgruntled members of the GOP" (some SI Republicans don't like him very much). One consultant thinks it would be "wishful thinking" for Fossella to attempt this. more ›

The race for the Congressional seat Representative Vito Fossella is vacating took another interesting turn. Yesterday, Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro--a Conservative-- moved to endorse Democrat Michael McMahon. Moliarno is expecting to make the endorsement official this afternoon, choosing the City Councilman over GOP nominee Robert Straniere. Straniere said, "Sadly, time and time again we have seen Jim Molinaro blatantly cast aside the fundamental principles of his own Conservative Party for petty, personal vendettas." Molinaro was once challenged in a primary by Straniere for the Beep position. more ›

The drunk driving trial of Representative Vito Fossella will take place in October, in the waning months of his terms. Fossella was pulled over by police in Alexandria, VA in May, and it turned out the woman who picked him up from the police station was his mistress who he had a love child with. The Staten Island politician's lawyer is continuing to question the reliability of the equipment used to test Fosella's breath. Fosella will not be running for re-election, and the second Republican (the first died) chosen to run for his seat is not a popular choice. more ›

After the Staten Island GOP's pick to run for Representative Vito Fossella's seat died, the GOP had been scrambling for a new candidate. But yesterday it decided to tap Robert Straniere for the job. Straniere had served 24 years in the Assembly until fellow Republican Vincent Ignizio defeated him in a 2004 primary. Straniere still has enemies in the Republican party, including Ignizio and former Staten Island BEEP Guy Molinari, who said, "I'm terribly outraged...They couldn't have made a worse mistake. The party was already in desperate shape. They've all but buried it." more ›

Scandal-troubled Vito Fossella and his wife Mary Pat were seen at the 28th annual Advance Memorial Day Run. In their first public appearance since Fossella apologized for his DWI, the Advance reports the couple "were on-hand to show support for their son, Dylan, who was among the more than 1,000 individuals who ran the four-mile race." more ›

Representative Vito Fossella may not be ready to fight for re-election to the House, but he will try to fight a DWI conviction: Fossella's defense lawyer "subpoenaed files" from the maker of the Intoxilyzer 5000, a device whose findings have been challenged before. more ›

Ah, there's nothing like tabloid sleuthing. The NY Post assigned a reporter and photographer to follow Representative Vito Fossella's girlfriend in Alexandria, VA and they hit the jackpot: They spotted her meeting up with Fossella and taking off on a "pre-Memorial Day rendez-vous." more ›

Mary Pat Fossella has made her first public words after her Congressman husband's DWI arrest and admission about an extramarital affair and love child. She sent an e-mail to the Post:

This has been a very painful time for my family and I. I have known Vito since I was 16 years old and this is not what I envisioned for him and my family. I had no idea of this world he was living. I am very saddened by how the world I was living unraveled before my eyes and everyone else's. My focus will continue to be on (my) three children.

Deciding that a DWI arrest and an extramarital affair resulting in a love child are too much burden going into November elections, Representative Vito Fossella has announced he will end his stint in Congress when his current term ends. He posted a letter explaining his decision--he wants to "concentrate on healing the wounds that I have caused to my wife and family"--on his website (the full letter is also below). more ›

Question: If a politician gets arrested for drunk driving and then has to cop to an extra-marital affair that spawned a secret love-child, does that mean he's unelectable? Embattled Republican congressman Vito Fossella doesn't think so; he's telling friends and advisers that that he thinks he can win re-election, the Times has it. more ›

Representative Vito Fossella, whose public image has taken a battering after a DWI arrest and admitting to having a girlfriend and toddler in Virginia, was out and about at the Great Kills Memorial Day Parade yesterday. The Advance says he "was cheered, hugged, kissed on the cheek and had supporters jockeying to shake his hand." more ›

Congressman Vito Fossella made two public appearances last night, one at a Gracie Mansion dinner for the NY Congressional delegation and another at a Conservative Party dinner in Staten Island. Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro felt Fossella's appearance meant the embattled representative would run for re-election, "It makes me think that he's a candidate. Why else would he bother?" more ›

Representative Vito Fossella met with his Staten Island constituents yesterday in a D.C. meeting. The Advance reports that members of the Staten Island Board of Realtors met with the embattled Congressman, who canceled a meeting with Staten Island Chamber of Commerce representatives on Wednesday. more ›