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Dan Halloran (born March 16, 1972)[1] is a Republican member of the New York City Council. He was also endorsed by the Libertarian, Independence and Conservative parties[2] in his 2009 election to the New York City Council. He represents nerarly 200,000 residents of New York City in the 19th Council District, of Queens. Elected on November 3, 2009,[3] he succeeded Tony Avella, who made a failed bid to become the Democratic nominee for mayor. As of 2009 he was reportedly the highest-elected person to have run on the Libertarian Party line in the United States.[4][citation needed] [5] In September 2010, he was named one of City Hall's "40 under 40" for being a young influential member of New York City politics.[6]
Halloran sits on the Fire & Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Land Use (including Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses sub-committee), Public Housing, and Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services committees.[7]
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Halloran is a registered lifelong Republican, a fiscal conservative and libertarian. He opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, best known as "Obamacare".[10] He has appeared as a regular commentator on the Strategy Room on Fox News[11] where he has discussed matters ranging from Healthcare reform to government spending, off-shore oil exploration, and other conservative and libertarian principles.[12]
He was purportedly asked to run for U.S. Congress in the 2010 election cycle in the 5th District of New York by Republican, Libertarian, and Conservative leaders.[13] Despite being courted by the NRCC and Congressman Peter King to run, he withdrew from consideration citing the economic crisis in the New York City and state budgets and the need to set the city's finances in order before he could consider taking on a run for any other office.[14]
Halloran, whose cousin, Lieutenant Vincent G. Halloran, an FDNY First Responder, died on 9/11,[15] became the first elected official in New York City to publicly criticize the Park51 Cordoba House project near Ground Zero of the World Trade Center site, stating: "If we want a nation of peace ... then peace comes with understanding. And they need to understand that this is sacred ground to New Yorkers."[16] "New York City is the greatest city in the world [a place of religious tolerance, but that tolerance] starts when you say 'I understand your pain, and I am not going to inflict more on you'", he added, describing Ground Zero as "sacred ground to New Yorkers".[17]
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RELIGION
Halloran's study of Norsemen and Viking archaeology and field research in Ireland led him to develop an interest in Germanic mythology and lore, and eventually to Theodism,[10] which has attracted widespread attention. He is a member of the New Normannii Reik, a branch of Heathenism.[19] The Village Voice described Halloran as "America's First Elected Heathen";[20] another Reconstructionist Neopagan adherent, Jessica Orsini (who is Hellenic), had previously been elected to the city council of Centralia, Missouri in 2006.[21]
His religion became an issue during the campaign after it was revealed that he was an adherent of Theodism. On his group's website, Halloran offered the following descriptions of his beliefs: "We believe in and honor the Gods and Goddesses of the North, spirits of the land, and the memories of our ancestors"[8] and described his group as "a cultural, religious and martial organization; dedicated to reviving the folkways of the Norman peoples of Northern Europe."[22] Odin, Tyr and Freyr are among the deities worshipped by the group. Halloran also stated that "It is our hope to reconstruct the pre-Christian religion of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European peoples, within a cultural framework and community environment." When asked about his beliefs, Halloran said "I was raised a Roman Catholic[19] right here in Auburndale. I was baptized into the Catholic Church and took my confirmation at 13. I attended Jesuit schools. Then and now, faith is a cornerstone of my life." Halloran served as legal counsel and incorporating attorney for the New York City Pagan Pride Project.[19]
State Senator Frank Padavan stated he felt Halloran's religion should not be an issue: "We have every religion under the sun in this district ... It's all here; so what? As long as everybody is properly motivated, so be it." These sentiments were echoed by the Queens County Republican Party chairman, Phil Ragusa, who additionally described Halloran as "a traditional person" and "a regular guy".[8] Halloran has lectured and discussed his theology on a national level.[10]
The Village Voice reported on Halloran's two years in office in the paper's November 30 – December 6, 2011 edition in a report entitled "Odin Himself Might Have Had A Hard Time Predicting Dan Halloran's Strange Career On New York's City Council". The report pointed out that when Halloran was elected in an off-year campaign, he was the "'First Atheling' or prince, of his own Theodish tribe, called New Normandy. He had 'thralls' who swore their allegiance to him ... he led his flock, about 100 people at its height, in their polytheistic celebration of the gods".[23] However, on election night, November 4, 2009, Halloran thanked his law partner, promising "The next time you give me advice to take a website down, I'll do it", referring to the now defunct New Normandy website, which had contained "images of Halloran in medieval garb, hoisting drinking horns and other regalia that he [Halloran] had apparently found embarrassing."[23]
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