Embroiled in scandal, Congressman Vito Fossella (NY-13) became the 27th Republican to retire from Congress rather than run for re-election in November. Rep Fossella was arrested in Virginia on May 1st and charged with drunk driving. At the time of the arrest, Rep. Fossella was on his way to the home of Laura Fay, the woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair and has a three year-old daughter. He is also potentially under investigation by a House ethics committee for official congressional trips he took with Fay Washington Post.
Rep. Fossella has conservative positions on issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and the War in Iraq. According to the New York Times, Rep. Fossella had “presented himself as a family-values moderate Republican.”
Rep. Fossella is the only Republican member of Congress in New York City and represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. Democrats view his retirement as an opportunity to capture his seat and increase the Democratic majority in the House.
