I just confirmed with a source who was at tonight's executive committee meeting of the Staten Island GOP that both Michael Allegretti and Michael Grimm were turned down for the nomination for ex-Rep. Vito Fossella's old seat (now held by Democratic Rep. Michael McMahon) in favor of... Vito Fossella.
The ex-rep was not present at the meeting, but his name was put up by Chairman John Friscia, the source told me. ...
Both Allegretti and Grimm went through the interview process before Fossella was nominated in absentia, the source said: "There was no explanation. Everybody walked out with their mouths, like, hung open. [Fossella] didn't ask for our endorsement or our support. John Friscia did."
Fossella has, in the past, said that he has no plans to run again this cycle, but at the same time, we haven't heard anything definitive out of him... and we have heard persistent whispers that he's trying to find some way to plan a comeback. If there was any doubt, it now looks like Fossella is trying to muscle Allegretti and Grimm out of the field. I don't know what's more surprising: the fact that Fossella is apparently pulling the trigger on a comeback so soon, or the fact that the Staten Island GOP is so eager to lend him an assist.
For his part, ex-Rep. and ex-Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari is fuming mad:
"I'm deeply troubled. I think the status of the Republican Party on Staten Island has reached a new low tonight. Fossella has been playing his usual game at the expense of two other candidates, Michael Grimm and Michael Allegretti," Molinari said.
"I have a difficult time that Fossella would put his own personal ambitions above his family. His family has been through enough and I couldn't believe that he would be willing to put them through all of that once again. If Fossella were to win, the investigation that was dropped when he (chose not to run for reelection) would be reopened. I am told that there are other matters that would be brought to the surface if he were to win again."
Asked if he believed Fossella had any knowledge of the Executive Committee's plans, Molinari said bluntly: "There's no way this would have been done tonight without his knowing it."
Added Molinari: We have a fine candidate in Michael Grimm. I welcome a primary with Fossella...It's going to be ugly, it's going to be nasty, but he has to know that would come out in the course of a campaign...Everything he has done will be brought to light by me in this campaign."
