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Fosella's future still in question

By David Freedlander | dfreedlander@am-ny.com

6:35 PM EDT, May 11, 2008

Disgraced Staten Island Congressman Vito Fossella gave no indication he'll step down over the weekend even as Republican leaders called on him to make a decision by today and local editorial boards demanded he resign.

Headlines and Web sites were abuzz over the weekend with rumors that the six-term Republican legislator was determined to seek re-election in November.

Fossella's spokeswoman, Susan Del Percio, said that the congressman has made no plans.

"Congressman Fossella appreciates any support of so many people but he has not made any decision about his future," she said

Fossella was arrested in the early morning hours of May 1 with a blood alcohol level at nearly twice the legal limit. It was later revealed that he was living a secret life in the Washington, D.C. area with his mistress and their 3-year-old daughter.

Political insiders and those close to the congressman though said that despite some well-timed leaks it was difficult to imagine how Fossella could plausibly stand for re-election in November.

"There is a difference between acting tough in a time of crisis and acting crazy," said Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf. "They have to choreograph this so that he can somehow make a living and protect his family. But the reality is about how to get out, not when."

Democrats meanwhile were thought to be licking their lips at the prospect of facing Fossella in November2.

"We had a very good chance of winning the seat anyway, before we knew anything about the other family," said Skippy Pryor, president of the county Democratic organization. "Frankly, it's better to have him in there running again."

Two Democrats are thought to competing for the chance to flip the only remaining GOP seat in Congress. Steve Harrison, a lawyer from Brooklyn, gave Fossella a tough race in 2006 and has become the darling of grassroots activists and the liberal blogosphere. Dominic Recchia, (D-Brooklyn) a city councilman from Coney Island, has the support of the national Democratic party and outraised both Harrison and Fossella.

Democrats have been gaining seats in GOP strongholds throughout the country, but many observers said that the 13th Congressional district, which covers Staten Island and the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, remains a drop of red Republicanism in the deep-blue Democratic sea of New York City.

George W. Bush carried the district by 10 percentage points in 2004, despite getting less than a quarter of the vote citywide.

"On both the Brooklyn and the Staten Island side, it's got a lot of conservative, Italian catholic Reagan and Giuliani Democrats," said a Democratic strategist and veteran of several citywide races. "It's the ultimate Republican seat, and even in year like this it's going to be tough for the Democrats to do well there."