"I have had a relationship with Laura Fay [Ed.-Who he called first when he was in-trouble with the incident.], 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." --Soon-to-be former NY GOP Rep. Vito Fossella on Thursday. (NYT'S City Beat, 05.08.2008)
New York State--Where is M.A.D.D. on this one? You have to love it when dozens of Republican incumbents who keep authorizing funding for the war and blocking impeachment end-up like this. It has to be said again-and-again: it's a bad time to be a Republican voter who's a true believer, the cognitive-dissonance must be excruciating.
Like the adulterous Dan Burton who issued former President Bill Clinton over 1,000 subpoenas during his own sex scandal, Fossella is busted. This time, the AP couldn't ignore the fact that he's a GOP incumbent in the coverage. The exposure came from the representative being pulled-over for running a red light, then it was discovered by the police at the scene that he was driving drunk. The rest is now becoming political history:
Fossella's personal life came apart at the seams after police stopped him for running a red light last week and charged him with drunken-driving. The arrest fueled scrutiny which led to revelations of an affair with a former Air Force officer, and a 3-year-old daughter with her. ("New York Rep. Fossella faces calls for his resignation, AP, 05.10.2008)The article isn't entirely clear on what caused the chain-reaction of exposure, but who cares? Fossella said that he was going to see his daughter who was "sick"--he forgot to say which one. It's great for the common good when a Republican--or anyone abusing office--gets caught in wrongdoing. It's possible that the soon-to-be former representative will stay in office until July 1st, simply leaving the seat empty until the November elections cycle. The GOP is likely to lose the seat.
According to a source close to Huffington Post on the Hill, Fossella cried to House Chaplain Daniel P. Coughlin on the floor of the House this week over the debacle he created for himself, his party, his constituents...oh yeah, and his legally recognized family. So much for family values. What's very interesting is where Fossella was pulled-over: Alexandria, Virginia, stomping-ground for numerous lobbyists, government contractors, and HQ for Christopher D. Baker's Shirlington Limousine. This could be nothing, but...
Alexandria's also where Ret. Col. Ronald Roughead of SAIC lives. Colonel Roughead was found by this site in the phone records of the deceased DC Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey. The New York Times states that Fossella is a close ally of Vice President, Richard Cheney, who was named by the DC Madam as a former client to this writer. It's unknown whether she--or Larry Flynt and Dan Moldea--could corroborate this assertion or not. Fossella was arrested the day Palfrey's body was found, hanged, in Tarpon Springs, Florida, a town just outside of Orlando.
The representative from New York City said back on May 3rd that he wasn't resigning, though it's virtually assured at this writing. His decision is expected by Monday. Like mainstream Democrats, Fossella has been a staunch supporter of the Bush administration's failed war in Iraq, as well on sundry other issues. He's definitely not bullish on social programs, just adultery and siring bastards.
The timing couldn't have been better. With the recent death-by-suicide of the DC Madam, and the Senate Ethics Committee refusing to investigate Senator David Vitter, another shoe has dropped. Vitter's home life must be hell, which is appropriate.
Party officials and strategists who would not speak publicly to avoid interceding in the case said the general preference was for Mr. Fossella to not seek re-election in November but to finish his term and avoid yet another special election in potentially difficult political territory. But many said they doubted he could survive politically and that it might be better for him and his colleagues if he quit rather than have his conduct become part of the campaign.Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, said Mr. Fossella had to make his own choice. “I think Mr. Fossella is going to have some decisions to make over the weekend,” Mr. Boehner told reporters. “And I would hope that and, frankly, expect that this is a decision between he, his family and his constituents.” ("Fossella Admits to Extramarital Affair," AP, 05.08.2008)
Even with the nearly week-long delay in the exposure of Fossella and his mistress--former Air Force Lt. Colonel Laura Fay--the damage to the GOP is going to be compounded. This will virtually ensure Fossella to opt for resignation, a belated ending to a political career that began in 1997, back when Americans could still afford gasoline and milk. Score another victory for the common good.
What's troubling is that Fossella's adulterous behavior is getting more attention when he should be taking the greatest heat for breaking-the-law for driving drunk, and possibly lying to uniformed Alexandria Police. A commenter at The New York Times "City Room" put it best regarding the Republicans and what they really are:
178.
I couldn't have stated it better myself. Here then, is the true face of the GOP, and where she's been for several generations. This isn't the party of Lincoln. What are they going to do with a more "enlightened" America? The race-baiting isn't working anymore, and there's nary-a-Red to bait. Terrorism isn't bringing the dividends it used to. The same goes with gay marriage and abortion. Nobody cares. It's time to put the GOP out of our misery, splintering them into legitimate, law-abiding parties. There's no reason to stop there--the Democratic Party is in great need of the same.A question keeps nagging this writer: How exactly did the congressman and the Lt. Colonel meet? Was she moonlighting as a prostitute, like in the case of Lt. Commander Rebecca Dickinson who worked for the DC Madam? Or is she like Tammy McFadden, a former Air Force nursing student who serviced Brent Wilkes at a sleepover in Hawaii with convicted former GOP Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham? Some have even said that Democratic congressman Daniel Inouye was part of their visit. Perhaps "prostitute" is just a matter of semantics in political marriages...
The AP on the Fossella bust, 05.10.2008: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/pol?guid=20080510/48251dc0_3ca6_1552620080510815608812
The New York Times on Rep. Fossella's D.W.I., 05.03.2008: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/03/nyregion/03fossella.html?_r=3&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
"Fossella Admits to an Extramarital Affair," NYT's City Room, 05.08.2008: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/fossella-admits-to-extramarital-affair/?hp
2008
“Here we go again–just one more case that reveals the hypocrisy in the self-righteous Republicans’ supposed monopoly on “family values!!”
— Posted by Kathy ”
It’s all rather simple. The republicans in reality represent the interest of the “business class” and the wealthy and the fact that there are not enough of those groups to get them in office they use the social issues to get people to vote against their own interest. :)
— Posted by Jon ("Fossella Admits to an Extramarital Affair," NYT's City Room, 05.08.2008 )