Opinion: From the U.S. House to the jailhouse; Fossella gets 5 days

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New York’s 13th Congressional District comprises all of Staten Island and a slice of ethnic Brooklyn across the bridge. It is New York’s most conservative district and the most heavily Italian district in the country.

So no surprise that when Republican Rep. Susan Molinari decided not to run for re-election in 1997, she was succeeded by someone named Vito Fossella, who’s served in the House since then.

The 43-year-old attorney, father of three and former N.Y. City Council member had a promising political career going until last May, when he ran a red light in northern Virginia. That led to a DUI charge which led to an October conviction which led to revelation of an extra-marital affair which led to revelation of a fourth child outside his marriage. (See video below.)

Which led Monday to a five-day jail sentence on the DUI charge, tentatively set to begin Dec. 19.

All of which led the congressman not to seek re-election Nov. 4.

--Andrew Malcolm

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