The New York Post, Yahoo News and The New York Times are among the news outlets reporting that NYC Councilman Halloran was arrested this morning in a bribery plot. Allegedly, Halloran accepted a $7,500 bribe from an informant to get his support for State Senator Malcolm A. Smith, a Queens Democrat who rose to become the first black president of the State Senate, to enter the Republican primary for mayor, which requires the approval of a majority of the Republican leadership in NYC.
Halloran denied the accusation. Several other Republicans were also arrested in the alleged scheme.
Halloran, although primarily a Republican, also runs as a Conservative, Libertarian and Independence Party candidate under New York’s fusion system.
According to LPNY chair Mark Axinn in IPR comments,
In the past, Dan has been to many LPNY, Queens LP and Manhattan LP events. He even attended the 2010 National LP Convention.
He is a good guy, frequently sticking his finger in the eye of the oppressor. Given the size of NYC Council districts, he represents more people than any other elected Libertarian in the country.
Dan has frequently stated that he could not have been elected in his 2-1 Democrat to Republican district without the Libertarian endorsement.
According to wikipedia,
Dan Halloran (born March 16, 1972) […] represents nearly 200,000 residents of New York City in the 19th Council District, of Queens. Elected on November 3, 2009, he succeeded Tony Avella, who made a failed bid to become the Democratic nominee for mayor. 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.
H/T for the story goes to Tom Knapp, Richard Winger and Mark Axinn.
He had both very positive and very negative qualities and actions. It’s a mistake to view people as cartoon heroes and villiains; we are a mix of both with a lot in between…almost certainly each of us is.
The obsession – positive or negative – with Rothbard and/or Rand is absolutist thinking gone awry. Take both, and many others, for their good points while keeping the bad ones in mind.
Danger of D’s one party rule! Ah, the FBI is going to have a field day trying to clean up the state/city of New York. Job security!
One more comment on fusion and petitioning.
My friend David Casavis ran for NYS Assembly last year as Republican-Independence-Libertarian for an Upper East Side district in Manhattan.
Because the Republicans and Independence Parties are “parties” under NY Election Law but there are so few of them (Manhattan is 7-1 Demo to Repub), David needed about 20 sigs from Republicans in his district and only 3 from registered Independence party members to be on the ballot under those two lines.
On the other hand, he needed 1250 to get on as Libertarian (which he did). He was one of only two people to get on the ballot in NYC for Assembly as a Libertarian. In total, we had candidates for five out of 147 seats statewide.
Even more incredible, there were lots of districts in NYC in which neither the Repubs. nor the Independence Party had candidates!
44 a: I don’t think that bribery is OK. It seems to me that bribery is the initiation of fraud,
me: Yes, off the top of my head, I can’t think of a bribe that doesn’t involve something akin to “fraud.”
It seems valuable to bring Rothbard’s take on bribery to once again show that the dude got way carried away with his little, simplistic formulas for what is and is not consistent with political liberty. I think he was basically unhinged, although he was a reasonably able polemicist.
Once we break the hypnotic spell that he has over the LM, we see a frightened little man with delusions of grandeur.
I guess “Rent isn’t high enough”! Ha>>>>my bad.
Mike @ 59–
Right now, there are six official parties in NY, each of which got at least 50,000 votes for Governor in 2010: Demo, Repub., Conservative, Working Families, Independence and Green. (Demos. got around 3,000,000 and Greens got about 60,000 with the others in between.)
Libertarian Party came in 7th place with 48,386. Rent is too Damn High came in 8th place with approx. 41,000 votes. Because neither had 50,000 votes, neither is a “party” under NY law and must petition all over again both last year for Pres/VP and in 2014 for Gov./Atty General, etc.
We were close, but no cigar. Jimmy was right behind us.
Previous comment for #59
-@60 I know not all will be indicted. Yet, if the prosecutor keeps going……..
yes! but they have 1 candidate only?
John @ 58–
There are so many D’s and R’s that it will take a lot more indictments to get rid of them. Also, they promote from within. Twenty years ago, when Congressman Upchuck Schumer became a senator, his office boy got promoted, Anthony Wiener.
What about the Rent is 2 damn high party?
@57
ty
-btw another new york pol (D) has been indicted for bribery. I think another (D) pol in the Bronx is about to resign? If the FBI keeps going no more D’s or R’s in New York Assembly? Chance for all the 3rd parties and minor parties to get these seats. One can hope!
JohnO at 49 and 51.
In New York, the Conservative and Independence Parties are recognized parties. They (like the D’s and R’s and Working Families and Greens) have ballot status and it’s a piece of cake to get their nominees on the ballot.
Libertarian Party is not (though we almost made it because of great job by Warren and Eric three yrs ago). We have to petition. City Council required Halloran to obtain 1500 valid sigs in his district for the Libertarian line in 2009, which he did.
What makes you think there’s anything suspicious in that?
The Tom Stevens connection.
The good “Doctor” & his Queens County LP just hosted a birthday party for Councilman Dan Halloran. This event was held at the aptly named venue Shenanigans.
http://www.meetup.com/QueensLP/events/107463252/
BTW for anyone following the discussion of whether bribery violates libertarian principles it is also continued in the followup thread,
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/04/new-york-lp-chairman-issues-statement-on-dan-hallorans-arrest/
I see your point.
I think that sans Halloran, most likely they just won’t have candidates there at all. Whether fusion is a good thing or not is a separate question.
I agree with you smaller parties will have a harder time. What I get out of Halloran drama is they gave him their ballot line, and yes he’s 1st an R, but this mess has brought bad light to 3rd parties. We expect nastiness from D’s and R’s. It’s sad that those parties that gave him a lifeline with their ballot line are now in this mess too.
-If a candidate was 1st LP and used fusion with Independence, Cons, or vice-a-versa (no D or R) I would feel better about fusion. Not this way.
Are you presuming these parties will all have candidates willing and able to get on the ballot in that district? They don’t contest most of the NY City Council districts in most elections, as far as I know.
If, and/or when Halloran resigns, will the LP, Independence, and Conservatives run their own candidates? Yes, the D’s will do fusion with WFP and the R’s, well, will do fusion with………. fill in the blank. I think this is a wake up call to these 3 parties. The Green Party , SWP, and even CP run their own candidates with no fusion. The LP, Independence, and Conservatives should regain their soul (or at least principles) in going into elections alone. Halloran used and abused these 3 ballot lines for himself and the mess is going to be hard to fix for them.
@25
You can tell we are making progress because anyone — the FBI, e.g., — finds it credible that someone else would find it worth their while to bribe one of our politicians.
There. Put a positive spin on that.
That spin would be easier to sell if the cause for the bribe hadn’t been Halloran’s position in the Republican Party.
@13 – it’s so easy to push some buttons
If bribery is not initiation of force or fraud, what exactly are the people selling bribes buying, and what are those who accept them selling? Is it something they produced or rightfully own?
A@44
When the government has guns and can apply laws in manners that are not universal and instead selective and punative… bribery is not unlike murder for hire.
Both parties are guilty.
“Robert Capozzi // Apr 3, 2013 at 1:50 pm
40 BS, Rothbard and his followers, for starter”
I don’t think that bribery is OK. It seems to me that bribery is the initiation of fraud, and force indirectly, since bribes often lead to the person receiving the bribe initiating force. Our current government basically exists on a system of bribery. Corporations and unions and other special interest groups pay off politicians to (ab)use their positions by initiating force and fraud so the corporation or union or other special interest group can gain some kind of advantage and/or to punish their competition or opposition.
40 BS, Rothbard and his followers, for starters.
Not to defend Halloran (and there of course should be a hard presumption of innocence in court, and a softer one in punditry), but …
… if New York City politics is anything like popularly portrayed, the FBI could just draw the names of area politicians from a hat and, with a little work, make corruption cases against them.
The mayoral ballot access laws apparently intentionally run right through the smoke-filled rooms. It’s only to be expected that some of the people in those smoke-filled rooms fill the space in their emptying cigar boxes with cash now and again.
Theodist… Druid… Zoroastrian… who cares? Don’t trust them if they’re over 30.
which Ls?
37 H. Yes, some Ls are OK with bribery…just a market transaction, for them. Presumably, they want to abolish bribery laws.
IF there was no government force that was being bought, why would anyone pay? And if there was no fraud, why wouldn’t it be above board?
Do Libetarians think bribery is OK? Not force, not fraud
From the article @16
“First elected in 2009, Halloran was believed to be the council’s first “heathen” councilman practicing a “neo-pagan,” or Theodist, religion.
He’s also been accused of stirring up anti-Asian sentiment against Asian opponents.
Halloran repeatedly spewed the F-bomb during a Libertarian Party function last fall.
“I’m f–king lonely on the New York City council! I’m a goddamned Libertarian on the council! . . . I’m f–king proud of that!,” he ranted at the Sept. 22 “Liberty Fest” event.
Halloran, a lawyer who recovered from brain surgery last year, boasts law-and-order credentials in his official biography, claiming he served in the NYPD — a claim refuted yesterday by Police Department spokesman Paul Browne, who said Halloran was a police cadet for three months in 1990 before dropping out.
The criminal complaint also charged Halloran with attempting to deliver up to $80,000 in city funds to a sham company in an effort “to obtain money for himself.”
wikipedia:
He worked in the NYPD and several District Attorneys’ offices before entering private practice as a lawyer in a firm with offices in Queens and Long Island. He has been of counsel to the New York City Patrolman’s Benevolent Association (PBA), worked on the Felony Panel of the 18B Assigned Counsel Plan of NYC, and is a Court Designated Referee in the Queens Supreme Court. His family has been in public service in New York City for five generations, going back to 1800s.
………
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]
@29 Team liberty…fuck yeah! That fucker sure as shit sounds like he’s fucking drunk, but damn it, he’s pissed off and he’s not gonna fuckin’ take that shit any more! Fuck!
@31 Theodist, not Druid. See @3.
@32 It’s back up to 545. Youtube is weird.
21 StW, yep, I’m in a sense kidding. I do wonder whether Hospers and his apologists are kidding, too?
IF they are serious, I encourage them to push for more explicit language, to signal to others that Ls are extremist, construct-believers. By indicating that election is proof of “immorality,” that assures the Ls would NEVER become consequential.
Wow. The video view count went down by 3. It’s now at 542. IPR readership is lower than even I had imagined possible.
Never trust a Druid over 30.
Video was at 545 views. We’ll see if the views go up by more than three after publicity in the IPR comments section.
I hope Halloran is innocent. This Dan Halloran video from Liberty Fest was by far the most entertaining. Beware, it is chock full of foul language. Turn down your volume if you are in a professional work environment. Very fun to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzq-08Wr7AE
Let me take a wild guess. Is Castile from Queens? Is he using a fake name?
No idea who Mr. Castile is. Assume he is a troll without 20 years experience working for liberty and the LP as I have.
Not sure when I “moved to rig the rules” at the nominating convention. Really don’t care what the fuck he thinks.
Dan Halloran is a friend and I feel terrible for the way his life is spiraling downward.
Am pretty certain that another friend, Kristin Davis, will win the NYC City Mayoral nomination overwhelmingly no matter who votes.
Did not support Kristin in her last campaign for Governor as she ran against the LP candidate who has a not insignificant connection to this website.
Send to police to question me????????????????
For manifesting compassion when someone I know is down????????????????
I need to return to reality now.
James Babb:
Perhaps as a precaution, all Libertarians that get elected should have their membership revoked.‘
So no fusion with the Winner Party then?
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/04/april-1-winner-party-launched-nationwide-smashes-records/
Pennsylvania Winner Party members listed here:
https://www.lp.org/state/pennsylvania
Pennsylvania?s Elected Libertarians
Michael Robertson
Licking Township Supervisor
Berlie Etzel
Ashland Township Constable
Obie Mild
Montgomery County Judge of Elections, Norristown 2-2
Erik Viker
Selinsgrove Borough Council
Derek P. Zona
Marion Township Auditor
David Owens
London Britain Township Supervisor
Cathy A. Beeman
Waterford Township Auditor
Timothy A. Russell
Emlenton Borough Mayor
Larry Allen Boyle
Polk Borough Mayor
James Fryman
Victory Township Auditor
Susan Haythornthwaite
Abbott Township Auditor
Paula L. Meddings
Houston Borough Council
Chad M. Roberts
Houston Borough Council
Randall J. Forester
Sugarcreek Township Constable
Brian Collins
Allegheny County Inspector of Elections, Mt. Lebanon 4-3
Vance Mays
Sugarcreek Borough Constable, District 3
Demo Agoris
Houston Borough Inspector of Elections
David Moser
York City Inspector of Elections, Ward 5
William Shoemaker
West Manheim Township Constable
Dale Traupman
Lehighton Borough Council
Shawn House
Columbia Borough Constable, Ward 9
Kevin Caridad
Seven Fields Borough Council
John Mest
Montgomery County Judge of Elections, Douglas 1
Patricia Fryman
Victory Township Auditor (Venango County)
James Fryman
Franklin Area School Board
Vance Mays
Valley Grove Area School Board
Vernon Etzel
Oil City Treasurer
You can tell we are making progress because anyone — the FBI, e.g., — finds it credible that someone else would find it worth their while to bribe one of our politicians.
There. Put a positive spin on that.
@16 That is one messed up news story. The guy sounds seriously unhinged. And having the worst run of luck ……
“Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith and GOP City Councilman Dan Halloran were caught on damning FBI wiretaps bribing GOP bosses in order to “grease the wheels” for Smith’s mayoral run on the Republican ticket, authorities revealed yesterday.”
I think it’s worth noting that he is accused of internal GOP bribes. That’s the nature of the beast. Remember when Ron Paul gave $50K to the Republican Congressional Fund? That was called “playing the game” to protect a committee assignment. What’s the difference?
Cole Castile,
What do you think is behind that? Is Axinn backing one candidate and members of city county LPs who are not members of the state party are backing another one? If so, who is backing whom?
Mark Axinn,
Any reply to Cole Castile’s charges?
FYI I have heard of Mark Axinn but this is the first time I remember hearing of or from Cole Castile.
Babb, Capozzi:
I hope you guys are joking. I’m pretty sure Capozzi is, at least.
more…
Should the new SoP language be considered, I would also amend it further by capitalizing Cult of the Omnipotent State, making it a proper noun. If the “cult” is real, why not do so?
17 jb, great idea. Perhaps that can be worked into the SoP. Might go something like:
“We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual. Should a Libertarian get elected, we will immediately revoke with prejudice that person’s membership in our party, as serving in public office necessarily supports the cult of the omnipotent state.”
Work for you? 😉
I love that you quote the NYLP Chair on this. He is a good friend of Halloran and has been seen socializing with him after many LP events.
What you forgot to mention is that the NYLP Chair, Mark Axinn, on Monday (day before the arrest) – moved to make it so the April 9 citywide nominating convention only allows state member (NYLP) to vote – not the citywide chapters. This is in direction violation of the bylaw that states:
Endorsements for offices in New York City to be filled at an election for all the voters of New York City shall be made by two-thirds (2/3) vote at a Convention of all LPNY members who either reside in New York City or are members of one of the New York City County Organizations, Unless such a Convention passes by two (2/3) and enabling resolution authorizing some person or group other than such Convention to make such endorsements on behalf of the party.
As you can see the bylaws say state all LPNY members that live in NYC OR are members of a New York City County Chapter. In the past City County Members have always been able to vote.
So why the about face??
Mark Axinn is close to Halloran. Maybe this explains why he has been trying to rig the rules at the Libertarian Party nominating convention next Tuesday so that only his allies can vote. The police should question Axinn.
The crooks that get caught are probably better than those perpetuating bigger frauds “legitimately.” They don’t kiss enough rings, so they get targeted.
Whatever happens, I hope the NYLP comes out stronger from the experience. Perhaps as a precaution, all Libertarians that get elected should have their membership revoked.
The LP has now made the news coverage…
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/now_dan_is_better_off_debt_gpeaIO4Q2Dpr4oOuRsNDBJ
more to es:
“As in the case of blackmail, bribery has received a uniformly bad press, and it is generally assumed that bribery should be outlawed. But is this necessarily true?”
-Murray N. Rothbard, aka “Moses”
More from the Talmud of Rothbard here:
http://mises.org/daily/2578
😉
@12–
How about after his term is over?
Of course, we could just kick the guy out because the Government says he violated one of their rules.
WTF, let’s do away with trials too and throw him in jail just because the Obama Justice Department says so.
11es: …it should be looked at as a warning to all that embrace idea that the LPNY can fuse to another major party candidate and keep our pledge against the initiation of force and fraud.
me: Depending on how one reads the pledge, of course. If Halloran is guilty of this crime, all it tells me is that he made a mistake. Someone who is elected as an L and L only might also make a mistake, too, so it’s not obvious that this episode – if accurate – proves much of anything.
Many/most L candidates and elected officials don’t advocate immediate abolition of government, so in this sense THEY “violate” the pledge if read as advocating immediate nonarchy.
One wonders … if and when the LP will remove him from the elected officials list
After I spoke to the Manhattan LP in 2011 about running in 2012, he shook me down about not meeting with the other camps during the 2010 gubernatorial bid (which I did btw). I was not afforded an opportunity to rebut him.
His shakedown on a Queens Nissan dealership was caught on an iPhone to his eternal humiliation. He also defended a policy of forcing owners to put up signs in English on their businesses for the purposes of public safety.
Halloran has always struck me as a bloviating self-opportunist who takes advantage of NY’s fusion system to berate Libertarians for not being more Republican. He seems to be embraced by a lot of NYC members as God’s gift to the LPNY. My understanding is that the term “Libertarian” was attached to his Independence Party nominating petition and that he in fact never was on the ballot solely as a Libertarian.
Whatever the outcome of this current fiasco, it should be looked at as a warning to all that embrace idea that the LPNY can fuse to another major party candidate and keep our pledge against the initiation of force and fraud.
If he (and the rest) took or gave a bribe they should resign. That doesn’t stop him from running again. However, he shouldn’t take the LP or Conservative lines. The Independence Party he can take. Bloomberg paid the leader of that party a handsome check to get that line several years ago. That individual is in court now for using that cash for personal use. So, Sen Smith or Rep Halloran , could run on their line. If LP or Conservatives take him back…..not good.
Shave @ 8.
I actually raised the point with the Post reporter that we do have a presumption of innocence here, but we both agreed that today was a really bad day for Dan.
Is it too optimistic to hope he’s actually innocent?
I spoke today to the lead reporter on the story from the NY Post, so while he hasn’t written about the connection to the LP, he’s certainly well-aware of it.
It’s a very sad affair. Dan is a Republican first, but also a good friend of the Libertarian Party and the cause of freedom.
This is a devastating blow.
The mainstream news coverage that I’ve seen doesn’t seem to mention the LP, referring to him just as a Republican.
Oh great. This will be wonderful publicity for the LP.
Off topic… but… will this … scandal… wake up New York voters, and elsewhere, to STOP voting for D’s and R’s. Bribery is nothing new but voting for other parties would be new.
wikipedia sez
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]
Pretty sad. I guess he’ll resign? On an interesting note I believe he’s a Druid. I may be wrong but I thought I read somewhere that he believed in the ancient Druid faith.
Hopefully the media won’t pick up on his association with the LP. Does Dan have any association with Tom Stevens?