Five months after being pulled over on his way from a White House event, Staten Island-Brooklyn Congressman Vito Fossella was convicted of drunken driving charges Friday in a Virginia courtroom.Fosella, who appeared before a judge, could serve up to five days in prison. He will be sentenced at a separate session.
"I'm grateful that this matter was presented in fuller detail before the court today and for the public to hear for the first time an honest and straightforward account of what happened that night instead of sensationalized media accounts," Fossella said in a statement following the judge's ruling. "As I have said before, I made a serious mistake and I want to again apologize for setting the wrong example. I believe we live in nation of laws, that no one person is above the law and I look forward to the judge's final determination in December."
One of the arresting officers testified that there was a strong odor of alcohol coming from Fossella's car when he was pulled over, and that the lawmaker's lips were stained red.
He said that the politician admitted to having two or three glasses of wine.
Police charge that Fossella's blood alcohol level was .17, more than twice the state's legal limit.
The charges stem from his May 1 arrest outside Washington D.C., after the Congressman celebrated the Giants' Super Bowl victory at the White House.
That arrest eventually led Fossella to admit that he had fathered a child with a Virginia woman who was his mistress. He later announced that he would not seek re-election.
During his court appearance, Fossella appeared with neither his wife or his mistress, and did not wear a wedding ring.
