The tawdry political scandals of Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) could soon be coming to an end. The Associated Press is reporting that Fossella has decided to announce this week that he will not be seeking re-election.

Republicans believe that an open seat would be easier to hold in this particular case, with the Staten Island district likely to vote for John McCain by a big margin. If Fossella were to run again, the cash-strapped national party would have been unlikely to spend any money on his behalf in the country's most expensive media market.

If Fossella does announce his retirement, it would be a big cause for relief on the part of the NRCC.