Rep. Vito Fossella: Another GOP Hypocrite

Anti-gay "family values" blowhard Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island), the only Republican representing New York City in Congress, was revealed as an adulterer and father of a "love child" this week after his arrest for driving drunk in suburban Virginia.

On the night of his arrest, Fossella attended a White House reception, then continued partying at a DC pub where he got so drunk he was asked to leave. Fossella told arresting officers that he was on his way to visit his sick three year-old daughter in Virginia, which no doubt came as a huge surprise to his wife and three children back in Staten Island.

Fossella's baby mama is retired Air Force colonel and former congressional liaison Lauren Fay, who bailed Fossella out of jail. A blood-alcohol test showed Fossella with more than twice the legal limit, which calls for mandatory jail time. The five-term Fossella has often been mentioned as possible NYC mayoral candidate.

Via Retaking NY-13, an anti-Fossella blog, here's a hit parade of Fossella's anti-gay hate:

• 1998: Voted for an amendment to prohibit any funds to be used to carry out any joint adoption of a child between individuals who are not related by blood or marriage.
  
• 1999: Voted on an amendment banning adoptions in District of Columbia by gays or other individuals who are not related by blood or marriage.
  
• 2004: Voted for the Marriage Protection Amendment - Declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Prohibits the Constitution or any State constitution from being construed to require that marital status or its legal incidents be conferred upon any union other than that of a man and a woman.
• 2007: Voted against the Matthew Sheppard Act.
  
• Voted to withhold federal housing funds from San Francisco unless it repeals its domestic partnership law.
• Voted to deny the District of Columbia the option of establishing domestic partnership laws.
  
• Voted to overturn President Clinton's executive order banning job discrimination against lesbian and gay federal employees.

Some Republican party leaders are hoping that Fossella will drop his current reelection bid, but serve out his term in order to prevent a special election, which in light of this scandal would surely favor any Democratic opponent. Other GOP insiders want Fossella to resign now rather than hurt the party in the general election. Fossella has admitted his adultery and fathering the child, but has given no indication that he will resign. According to the NY Post, Fossella's wife IS planning on resigning.... from their marriage.

A sad side note to Fossella's homophobia - he has an openly lesbian sister who has marched in NYC's pride parade with her partner and their twin children.