GROUP CALLS FOR VITO'S OUSTER

12 May 2008 // Amid a sympathetic backlash in favor of disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella, legal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is calling for the Staten Island congressman to step down over the alleged use of taxpayer funds to pay for trips that he and his admitted mistress took while on official business.

Left-leaning CREW, which played a key role in the downfall of several GOP lawmakers in 2006 and has taken on few Democrats, too, credits aggressive reporting with revealing “that taxpayer dollars helped fund his long-standing affair.”

”By traveling the world with retired Lt. Col. Laura Fay, Mr. Fossella used his position and public money to pursue his illicit affair,” said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan.

The group called for Fossella to quit amid a “don’t veto Vito” blowback on Capitol Hill, in which some lawmakers contend Fossella can survive a druinken driving charge and an admitted affair with a retired Air Force officer assigned to work with Congress when the tryst began.

Fossella and Laura Fay have a daughter out their relationship (in addition to three children he has with wife Mary Pat), but some of his closest allies in Congress still think he would get re-elected. Nonetheless, there is growing support for Fossella to run again in his district, too. One backer has a launched a “Viva Vito” campaign that says if Bill Clinton and New York Gov. Paterson can survive their transgressions, Fossella should be allowed to, as well.