He’s baaccck!
Former Staten Island GOP Congressman Vito Fossella is making a big political splash – endorsing billionaire supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis for mayor, The Post has learned.
“My candidate for mayor is John Catsimatidis. I will do whatever I can to help him,” Fossella said.
The married Fossella has mostly kept a low public profile after quitting Congress amid a love child scandal in 2008. it was discovered that he had a mistress and three-year-old daughter following a DUI arrest..
But Fossella has rebuilt his life and reconciled with his family. He is now a managing partner in former Sen. Al D’Amato’s Park Strategies consulting firm and was seen mingling at the Republican Party’s presidential convention in Tampa last year.
As for the mayor’s race, Fossella said he admires Catsimidatis’ rags-to-riches immigrant success story
“John is a wonderful, amazing guy. I admire his accomplishments. There’s not a guy out there who is more real. I know his passion for New York City,” Fossella said.
Fossella praised GOP candidate Joe Lhota, who he worked closely with when Lhota was deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani. But he said he made a commitment years ago that he would back the Gristedes owner’s bid for City Hall.
He likened Catsimatidis to Mayor Bloomberg, an independent businessman who will do what’s right for the city. He also said “Cats” has negotiated labor contracts with supermarket unions, and has the negotiating skills to deal with the city’s public employee unions.
“John will have the story to tell and the resources to back it up,” Fossella said. “Some successful people retire into the sunset. John wants to give back,” Fossella said.
Catsimatidis said: “Vito Fossella was a great Congressman for Staten Island and is a longtime friend. I am proud to accept his endorsement.”