Vito Fossella
Vito Fossella | |
|---|---|
Fossella in 2022 | |
| 16th Borough President of Staten Island | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2022 | |
| Special Assistant | Anastasia “Sia” Petropole-Sipp (2022–present) |
| Preceded by | James Oddo |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 13th district | |
| In office November 4, 1997 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Susan Molinari |
| Succeeded by | Michael McMahon |
| Member of the New York City Council from the 51st district | |
| In office April 27, 1994 – November 4, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Alfred Cerullo |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Fiala |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Vito John Fossella Jr. March 9, 1965 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic (before 1990) Republican (1990–present) |
| Spouse |
Mary Rowan (m. 1990) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | James A. O'Leary (great-grandfather) Frank Fossella (uncle) |
| Education | Iona College University of Pennsylvania (BS) Fordham University (JD) |
Vito John Fossella Jr. (born March 9, 1965) is an American politician serving as the Staten Island Borough President since 2022. A member of the Republican Party, Fossella previously represented the state's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for six terms, from 1997 to 2009 serving as the lone Republican from New York City. A Staten Island native, Fossella initially took office in 1997 after winning a special election held to replace the resigning Susan Molinari.
While in Congress, Fossella cosponsored the SAFE Port Act along with bills that funded State Island-area infrastructure.
After a DUI arrest in Alexandria, Virginia in 2008, it was discovered that he was carrying out an extramarital affair resulting in a child. After his arrest, he decided not to run for re-election to Congress. In November 2021, Fosella was elected borough president of Staten Island.