Family Guy

Earlier this week, we lamented the DWI bust of Staten Island Congressman Vito Fossella. Now it seems the bust is the least of his worries. The conservative, Republican family values guy is now exposed as having led a double life, love child and all. Which leads to a question. Is there anything a politician thinks he or she can't get away with?

Fossella, after being taken to a drunk tank in Virginia with a .17 blood alcohol level, contacted a woman not his wife to get him out of stir. We now know she's retired Air Force Col. Laura Fay. At first, she was described simply as a mystery woman. Then it was revealed she'd been separated from her husband since '03, yet had a 3 year old child. 

Somebody did the math, and Fossella had to admit he was the baby's daddy. One can assume that didn't play well with his wife and three kids back on Staten Island. The congressman had himself two separate families. Maybe he could afford it on his salary as a congressman. Maybe Laura Fay didn't ask for much except time. No matter. When a man who represents a conservative, Catholic constituency gets caught up in something like this, the words "step down" come quickly to mind.

Vito Fossella says he'll spend this weekend assessing his options. Smart money says his wife is doing the same thing.