CAN WE HEAR A FEW BARS OF "ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST" IN HONOR OF VITO FOSSELLA

As we predicted last week, he isn't going to resign before July, which would give Governor Paterson an opportunity to call a special election. Instead he'll just resign after that (or maybe stick it out until January)-- and, of course, not run in November. He sat down with the Staten Island Advance and explained that he won't be seeking a sixth term. "After a great deal of consideration, I have made the decision not to seek re-election to the United States House of Representatives this November. This choice was an extremely difficult one, balanced between my dedication to service to our great nation and the need to concentrate on healing the wounds that I have caused to my wife and family." He doesn't mention which wife or which family.

This morning's NY Times speculates that the pressure he was getting from panic-stricken Republicans in Washington was too much for him to resist. John Boehner has already picked a successor, Staten Island D.A., Daniel M. Donovan

Mr. Fossella’s decision comes just before the Staten Island Republican Party’s executive committee is to interview candidates for office-- a meeting set for Wednesday. It also comes a few weeks before candidates for office in the fall are required to begin collecting signatures for petitions to be eligible to run.

The decision also sends tremors through the Republican Party on Staten Island, as it seeks to find a replacement on the party’s ballot for Mr. Fossella in November.

Another potential Republican candidate is state Senator Andrew D. Lanza, a longtime friend of Mr. Fossella’s. But Mr. Lanza would face intense pressure from Republican leaders in Albany, who are highly reluctant to see anything that might weaken their already slim majority in Albany.

Two Democrats are seeking the congressional seat: Stephen A. Harrison, a Brooklyn lawyer who fared better than previous opponents, winning 43 percent of the vote. The other is City Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr.

For years, Mr. Fossella has presented himself as a family-values moderate Republican. He has also been a strong supporter of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

But the Congressman has been criticized by Democrats, who contend that his continued support of the war in Iraq has put him out of touch with the district.

Furthermore, they say, Staten Island has been hit hard by the nation’s mortgage crisis and health care has deteriorated.

The NY Daily News has a juicier version of the story and, unlike the Old Gray Lady, mentions "love child" and the "love junkets" and includes a photo of his other wife.

Of pals at the Albany Project have all the details of the Democrats and Republicans tossing their hats into the ring now that Fossella has admitted it's over.