Democratic and GOP congressional officials are scrutinizing Rep. Vito Fossella's mysterious and pricey January 2003 trip to France, the Daily News has learned.
He was the sole lawmaker authorized to go - and his mistress is suspected of joining him.
The Staten Island Republican visited La Hague, France, supposedly on a "fact-finding" mission.
Lawmakers commonly visit La Hague to tour its nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, which have 6,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in the region.
But "it's highly unusual for a member to go on the France trip alone, as he did," said a committee source.
Now the question is whether Fossella was less interested in nuclear power than in fueling a relationship with retired Air Force Col. Laura Fay: Last week he admitted fathering Fay's 3-year-old daughter.
In early 2003, she was a top Air Force legislative liaison officer who often traveled with congressional delegations.
House leaders are also eying Fossella's other overseas jaunts, since Fay is known to have traveled with him on official business more than once.
Fossella could be ordered to repay taxpayers for his whopping travel expenses if they conclude he mingled pleasure with business, sources said.
Team Fossella has refused to answer questions about the France trip, despite discrepancies in his official records.
He filed two forms with the House clerk: One said he was in France on Jan. 16 and 17, listing the trip as privately financed travel costing $388.48.
The second form listed the trip as from Jan. 14 to 18 and authorized by the Energy and Commerce Committee, with a cost to taxpayers of about $6,900.
In New York, Staten Island politicos remained abuzz with questions about Fossella's fate.
The Staten Island Advance reported that Fossella mentor and former Borough President Guy Molinari said the congressman "had every intention" of running for reelection. He later retracted that statement, saying Fossella never actually said that.
A national Republican source said party chiefs were anxiously awaiting Fossella's decision over the weekend, but hesitated to push him too hard.
"There's this kind of delicate dance going on right now where [the leaders] see the writing on the wall," the source said.
"Fossella "has not made any decision yet," his spokeswoman said.
A procedural hearing on Fossella's drunken-driving arrest - which ultimately exposed his double life - is slated for a Virginia courtroom Monday.
He is not expected to attend.
With Stephanie Gaskell
