The Corruption of Fossella, part II

Another day another New York Daily News piece. It is wonderful to see some of the media actually covering the only congressional race with a real general election challenge in the city.

Fossella the finagler, via the New York Daily News

Indeed, mistakes having been made, not to mention discovered, Fossella has now quickly amended 18 disclosure forms filed with the Federal Election Commission over the past six years. And he humbly says he will consider reimbursing the campaign about $450 of the more than $53,000 identified by The News as spent on trips to luxury resorts in Las Vegas, Colorado and Florida.

A Ney, Volz and Abramoff connection, 18 amended FEC forms and Fossella is considering returning $450! It is amazing to see a politician so removed from reality that they concede to the public that a $50 lift ticket was a mistake, but going to Vail with endangered Rep. Bob Ney (OH) and a lodge full of lobbyist is akin to working overtime for the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn. There is a reason we have to challenge incumbents even when the races are written off as non competative a year before the election. As the stories grow, and the coverage increases the constituents of the thirteenth suddenly have an interesting question to ponder. Is Fossella really the person they want representing them in Washington? Or do we see a growing buyer's remorse as they realize corruption has tainted even their own.

Congressman defends lavish free trips, via New York Daily News

Ruskin said the problem with lawmakers like Fossella "living the high life is that it gives them a lifestyle that is so different from ordinary people on Staten Island that it becomes easy to forget what it is like to be an ordinary person on Staten Island."

Suddenly this is news worthy of sharing the front page with stories of the perfect slice or burger in the world of Gothamist; Investing Vito and Campaign Finance Elmo. This is starting to become a real problem for the Fossella campaign as this story goes beyond the political pages of newspapers and reaches the everyday world of constituents and average voters.