BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Representative Vito Fossella (R-NY) who is currently the only Republican Representative from New York has announced that he won’t seek re-election.  That could possibly open yet another seat for the Democrats in November. 

New York Rep. Vito Fossella said Tuesday he will not seek re-election as a result of “personal mistakes,” a decision that comes after a drunken driving arrest and disclosure that he fathered a child in an extramarital affair.

“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 that I have caused to my wife and family,” Fossella said in a statement on his House of Representatives website.

This comes as no surprise.  Being the sole Republican Congressman in a blue state was no easy job to maintain.  Fossella was first elected to the House in 1997.  His service in the Congress was of little consequence until 9-11.  After the terrorist attack on New York, Fossella had the opportunity to do some good for his state.  Perhaps, that was his best opportunity to shine in the House.

His work in Congress shifted dramatically following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Hundreds of Staten Island residents died in the attacks, and Fossella became a prominent advocate for families of those killed.

As more recovery and rescue workers got sick after toiling at the ground zero site, Fossella pushed for Washington to pay for their health care — an effort that has met with short-term success, but no long-term program.

Unfortunately, Rep. Fossella leaves little to show for his time in Washington.  Now, he has decided to return home to Staten Island and work to repair a marriage that must be on the rocks. 

Fossella is faced with trying to put a broken marriage and family back together while obviously having to deal with Laura Fay, the woman who bailed him out of jail on drunk driving charges and the mother of his out of wedlock child. 

Let’s hope for the Fossella family and for the product of his extramarital affair, Vito Fossella shows ability to make amends than he did to help make laws.