BAY RIDGE — Out of the blue dark horse Frank Powers, an ex-Wall Street financier and a Metropolitan Transit Authority board member, was tapped as the Staten Island Republicans choice as their candidate to replace outgoing Congressman Vito Fossella. Their eleventh hour decision surprised many Staten Islanders and the Brooklyn GOP, still shaken by the Fossella scandal.
The turmoil among Republicans erupted when Fossella was arrested on a DWI charge leading to the revelation of an out-of-wedlock child born of an extramarital affair. He was forced to drop out of the campaign, saying that he will finish his term at year’s end. With petitioning for candidates starting this week, the scramble was on for a suitable replacement.
A parade of potential candidates came forth. But when those would-be candidates dropped out of contention, Brooklyn party leaders were ready to look for a candidate among their ranks. Then along came the name of Staten Island financier Powers, an ex-Wall Street executive with deep pockets, and who was also Fossella’s campaign chief fund-raiser.
The Todt Hill resident is a Metropolitan Transit Authority board member who retired as a Wall Street executive in 2002. Powers was a partner and CEO at the venture-capital firm of Weiss, Peck and Greer, and a NY Stock Exchange member for 27 years. He pledged to spend $500,000 of his own money to help finance his campaign.
Powers was chosen late on a frantic day after a desperate search for a candidate on Thursday evening at the Excelsior Grand Hall meeting. Setting off a frenzied search earlier was state Senator Andrew Lanza, the last of the elected officials still under consideration, who withdrew due to “family matters.” New York 1 TV newscaster Lisa Giovinazzo was tuned out as the likely nominee. As mention of Powers name spread, the political steamroller began.
Brooklyn GOP Leader Hesitates
“I was surprised by their choice of Powers,” said Craig Eaton, Kings County Republican County Committee chair on Saturday. “I don’t think I’ve ever met him. I was informed at 4 p.m., a few hours before the Richmond County meeting. I will be talking or meeting with their candidate shortly. We’re are still exploring our options.”
On Tuesday Eaton said that he spoke with both Powers and former Staten Island assemblyman Robert Straniere, who lost the GOP primary four years ago to Vincent Ignizio. Straniere lost a three-way primary election in 2004, after serving 24 years in the Assembly, where he was on the verge of becoming the most senior member of the Assembly. But GOP political squabbles lead to his downfall then.
Eaton said, “We haven’t made a decision yet. There are others to be considered. By this Thursday afternoon (June 5) we should have our decision made and announced.”
Straniere said that he would like to be considered as a candidate and claimed strong fundraising power, but many Staten Island GOP leaders have said “no way.” Before the Staten Island GOP settled on Powers, Eaton said that a Brooklyn candidate should not be ruled out, with one-third of the 13th Congressional District in southwest Brooklyn.
Bolting the Staten Island GOP convention after the choice of Powers was announced was the party committee’s finance chair, Dr. Jamshad Wyne, who was among the candidates his colleagues interviewed the night before their party convention. He told the Staten Island Advance that he is supporting the Staten Island Democratic Party nominee, North Shore Councilman Michael McMahon.
The race for the 13th CD has grabbed the National Republican Party Committee’s close attention, as the GOP lost ground in several special congressional elections this year. It is the only seat held by a Republican in the city’s congressional delegation. In the state, the GOP holds six districts, but four are at-risk, according to a recent report in Crain’s “Insider” column.
— By Harold Egeln
Brooklyn Eagle
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2008
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