Monserrate (D-Corona) immediately issued a statement saying that he would sue to block the Senate from acting on the recommendations of the committee. Former NYCLU President Normal Siegel had spoken with Monserrate Tuesday night in advance of the release of the report about possibly helping defend the Senator.

State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, meantime, said he would work on behalf of the Senate to defend its actions regarding Monserrate.

Monserrate was convicted in October of a misdemeanor domestic assault and acquitted of felony assault charges stemming from a December 2008 incident where he struck girlfriend Karla Giraldo with a glass, causing her to get between 20 and 40 stitches to close the wound.

State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing), who served on the special committee, said her first desire is to see Monserrate explain the inconsistencies the committee found, which ultimately led the report to read “Senator Monserrate’s misconduct damages the integrity and the reputation of the New York State Senate and demonstrates a lack of fitness to serve in this body.”

Sen. John Sampson, leader of the Senate Democratic Conference, issued a statement Thursday stating that he would “carefully and thoroughly review the findings and recommendations of the committee before commenting further on what is in the best interest of the Senate and the State of New York.”

As far as Stavisky is concerned, Monserrate’s could still save himself, but he is teetering near the edge.

“If Sen. Monserrate does not respond substantively to the report, then I am prepared to vote for expulsion,” Stavisky said Thursday.

She said that Monserrate needs to address the issues raised in the report.

“Let him go over the inconsistencies between what was said at trial and in the media,” she said. “Let him respond to those inconsistencies. If he does not, if all he does is sue us, to me that is not a substantive response.”

“The more I read, the more serious I considered the charges of domestic violence,” Stavisky added.

The Flushing Senator explained that the committee lacked consensus on suggesting procedure for the full Senate to consider. Though the report suggests two possible sanctions, the committee could not agree on a suggestion – that Stavisky felt was correct – to tell the Senate to vote first for expulsion.

“My reasoning for saying we ought to vote on expulsion first was because that is the way it happens in a court of law,” with the most severe charge being considered first, she said. Though the committee did not poll its nine members, split 5-4 between Democrats and Republicans, on this notion, “it was more of a consensus. There were members on both sides who felt there ought not be a procedural order.”

She noted that it was refreshing to see that Democrats and Republicans were able to sit together in the Senate and come to a consensus on the report. “I’m delighted that we were working together in a non-partisan way,” she said. “We can’t always be split 32-30.”

Reach Editor Brian M. Rafferty at brafferty@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 122.

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For Elsie Saint Louis Accilien, the last few days have been unbearable. As executive director of Haitian-Americans United for Progress in Cambria Heights, she said her office has had to field hundreds of calls from local residents unable to get in touch with friends and family back in their homeland. As a Haitian who just came back from the annual New Years and Haitian Independence celebration, Accilien is clearly distraught.

“We are not hearing much from the island,” Accilien said. “We have been receiving calls and giving out whatever information we have. We need to make sure that we are giving proper direction and information to the community.”

Accilien echoed Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who on Tuesday stood with the Haitian Community of Crown Heights to encourage that donations of cash be at the top of the list for those looking to aid Haiti.

“The proper thing is for people to donate to the international agencies that already have the infrastructure in place,” Accilien said. The mayor’s primary suggestion was the American Red Cross.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the effects of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake were still being measured. The death toll was expected to far exceed 100,000. Massive parts of the nation’s infrastructure – from government offices to schools, hospitals, churches and roads, were completely destroyed. There were more homes collapsed than left standing in the capital of Port-au-Prince.

“The damage is phenomenal,” Accilien said. “Everything, every piece of infrastructure, has been damaged.”

Accilien sounded hopeful when describing the fate of the millions on the island – including the estimated 45,000 Americans thought to be present during the quake.

“Just because the lines of communication are down doesn’t mean that people are not there,” Accilien said. She asks that as people find out through other sources about villages, towns or even streets where people have news – good or bad – to pass it along to her agency, which will act as a clearing house to help share the information. HAUP’s phone number is (718) 527-3776.

“We pray and hope that this has been the bulk of it, that we can start looking toward recovery,” Accilien said. HAUP serves about 15,000 clients a year, providing educational, cultural and networking opportunities to give Haitian immigrants – and newcomers from other countries – help they need to adjust to life in the United States.

In the meantime, local officials are stepping up to the plate to try to arrange aid. Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton) will accept material donations at his new District Office, 234-26 Merrick Blvd., Laurelton. He will accept non-perishable food items, medical equipment and any other necessary supplies to be sent to Haiti once the lines of delivery can be re-established.

In the meantime, the U.S. State Dept. has set up a hotline for anybody seeking information about family in Haiti: (888) 407-4747. People can also call 311 in New York City to find out other ways to help aid in the relief effort.

Reach Editor Brian M. Rafferty at brafferty@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 122.

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The chairmen of the committees, which cover a range of aspects of City life from public safety to education and land use, receive a stipend for their work – often considered political payout for loyalty to the Speaker.

With Speaker Christine Quinn swept back into her seat by a 48-1 vote last week, it is up to her to name the committee chairmanships. A spokesman said Wednesday that the names should be released in the next few days, but could not be more specific.

Some Council members have already spilled the beans, leaking to various sources their own committees and others that they have heard. So far, it seems Queens has continued to keep a hold on some key slots, though one of the biggest plums – former Councilwoman David Weprin’s Finance Committee – seems to have gone to Brooklyn’s Domenic Recchia.

If the buzz is correct, it appears Queens has held on to the Land Use Committee. Previously chaired by Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills), the committee will now sit with Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans).

Other expected Queens leadership roles are as follows: newcomer Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) gets the Zoning and Franchise subcommittee previously held by Tony Avella (D-Bayside); fellow newbie Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) gets the Immigration committee; Liz Crowley (D-Glendale) lands the Fire and Criminal Justice Services committee; Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) keeps control of the Environment committee, Julissa Ferreras (D-Corona) will head up the Women’s Issues committee; and Peter Vallone Jr. retains his Public Safety committee chairmanship.

Reach Editor Brian M. Rafferty at brafferty@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-740, Ext. 122.

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In addition, it also bore the names of all of the elected Democratic District Leaders for Peralta’s district.

The party was sponsored by two non-profit entities, and the invitation carried Peralta’s District Office phone number for an RSVP. A Peralta spokesman explained that the party was intended for the whole community and that Assembly members are barred from using taxpayer funds for public parties. However, non-profit groups are permitted to fund such parties. Since Peralta is permitted to attach his name to such parties, and it was for the community, listing his office phone number was permissible.

Where the event may cross the line is the fact that the invitation did not name any of the Republican District Leaders, raising the specter of the party being partisan – essentially a campaign event – and therefore being in violation of a variety of election and campaign laws.

If this party is viewed by the State Board of Elections as a political event, then Peralta – and possibly the other Assembly members involved – may have to report the party as a donation on campaign filings. If that is the case, then it puts Ferreras and Dromm in hot water, because Council members are barred by the City Campaign Finance Board from receiving corporate contributions. Neither Ferreras nor Dromm returned calls seeking comment.

If this were a political or campaign event it would also mean that Peralta used his office and staff for a campaign purpose, which could land him in hot water with the Assembly Ethics Committee.

Peralta’s district office was closed Tuesday, though a spokeswoman reached by cell phone who was working from home said the staff was working. Attempts to reach Peralta or his chief of staff to comment on the organization of the party, the lack of Republican representation on the invitation or any possible local or state violations were fruitless. Representatives from both Aubry and DenDekker’s office said Monday that the party was Peralta’s, not theirs.

A prominent Queens Republican who said he is in constant touch with the elected District leaders who represent the three Assembly districts named in the invitation said he didn’t know of any of them being invited to the “unity” party.

Reach Editor Brian M. Rafferty at brafferty@queenstribune.com or call (718) 357-7400, Ext. 122.

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The agency was an apparent success; in November 2005 the group was awarded $250,000 in a federal appropriations bill earmark from Sen. Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights). “This federal funding is a shot in the arm for the economy in the Corona-Elmhurst district and will help fledgling businesses mature into vibrant enterprises,” Schumer said at the time. “The Corona-Elmhurst Center for Economic Development is instrumental in revitalizing the community’s economy, and, with this money, it will lead the charge in training and financing local businesses.”

An article in the Daily News this week, however, attempted to paint the Assemblyman’s relationship with the agency in a negative light. The agency reduced its operations in 2006 when its executive director fell ill, and by 2007 the funds previously earmarked for the agency were frozen pending a restructuring of the organization, according to a statement issued Thursday by Peralta.

“For over three years, the Corona-Elmhurst Center for Economic Development served hundreds of Queens families and helped scores of local businesses succeed,” Peralta wrote in a statement. “It received funding from my office, from the State Senate and from the federal government.”

Peralta was not available to speak in a phone interview for this story on Thursday.

The Daily News reporter had attempted to link Peralta’s campaign office, his mother and the owner of the building that housed the center through a series of unrelated data, which Peralta’s spokesman said seemed to be designed to confuse the reader.

Peralta’s campaign office is located in the building and received in-kind donations on Peralta’s Campaign Finance statements from his mother for the rent on the office. Peralta was unavailable to answer questions about any relationship his campaign or his family may have had with the Corona-Elmhurst Center for Economic Development, which is a registered non-profit, but did not have any tax filings on record through a popular non-profit public record clearinghouse, guidestar.org.

A spokesman from Peralta’s campaign said he would attempt to find out the details of the agency’s non-profit IRS filings, but was unable to get them by press time.

Peralta, meanwhile, labels the entire story as a hit piece generated by Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-Corona), whom Peralta is challenging in a primary for the Democratic line in next year’s State Senate race.

“Neither me nor anyone in my family has any financial connection to the Center,” Peralta’s statement read. “This is all part of Hiram Monserrate’s dirty bag of tricks to confuse his constituents… He shamefully wants to change the subject and obscure the fact that he is an abuser and unfit to hold office.”

Coincidentally, Monserrate had earmarked $47,500 in funding for the current year budget for the Audubon Partnership for Economic Development, which is attempting to get the Corona-Elmhurst agency back on its feet, noting that the funding “will cover the cost of remodeling…in order to serve the community in the greatest capacity.”

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Sidetracks Restaurant and Lounge transformed itself in June 2007 from a well-known place to get a good quick meal to a place where the food is now as good and contemporary as the lounge that occupies a large chunk of the space.

Leather chairs, geometric design features and great lighting set the mood in this location just off the 7 train in Sunnyside. The two-sided bar in the center serves as a divider for the space, with the lounge on one side and the restaurant on the other. Sliding into a both last Saturday night, we got the feeling that we were going to dig in to something … well … more. More that what we’ve seen in other places. A more diverse menu. More reason to come back.

Our expectations were more than met.

We started the evening with a couple of “Comfortizers,” Grilled Chicken Satay with a spicy peanut dipping sauce and a Coconut Shrimp Martini, served with a honey mustard dipping sauce blended with a fruit chutney. We also sampled the Warm Goat Cheese salad with roasted beets, baby greens and a toasted pine nut vinaigrette.

The Comfortizers work perfectly for the lounge crowd – they are flavorful, filling and fun to look at. The satay was four plump chicken tenders, the shrimp martini was a delight to taste and the salad was a perfect mélange of ingredients, each very present on the palate, but none overwhelming the other.

Though we were well-fed by our first course, we ventured on to the entrees, which included the Hanger Steak Frites served with a red wine reduction, a special Surf and Turf for the evening – a 5-ounce filet mignon with crab-stuffed shrimp served over wilted spinach with whipped potatoes – and a children’s meal of Macaroni and Cheese.

The meats were perfectly cooked to order, with a hard sear on the outside and just the right blend of red and pink in the middle. The shrimp acted as a great duet, with the smoothness of the crab stuffing contrasting the snap of the fresh shrimp. The spinach was fork tender, and not over-salted, allowing the green flavor to dance around on the tongue.

My companions included a 9-year-old, who loved the shrimp martini and was delighted with the grown-up Mac and Cheese, which was creamy, al dente and obviously made fresh and to order. This just went to prove that even a place that caters to the 20-something lounge crowd and the refined diner can still make time in the kitchen to allow families to enjoy themselves as well.

We finished our meal with a range of homemade desserts, including a warm apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a triple-layer chocolate chip cake and a sample or sorbets, including lemon, mango and coconut.

Owner Bernard Reilly made his way around the tables as we dined, checking in to make sure that everybody was enjoying themselves. The food and experience were like Reilly – friendly, comforting and a pleasure. This was clearly a place to get a grown up taste of excellent comfort food. The range of pasta, fish and specialty dishes is tempered by the chicken pot pie, quesadillas, burgers, brick over pizzas. All seems to be done with the same amount of care and sophistication that the design conveys. This is truly a place we will return to, and recommend that everybody stop in for a drink, a snack a meal or the night. Go, and enjoy.

Sidetracks Restaurant & Lounge
45-08 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside
Phone: (718) 786-3570
Cuisine: Comfort Lounge
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Late Nite Menu Sunday thru Thursday ‘til 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday ‘til 2 a.m., Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. ‘til 4 p.m.
www.sidetracksny.com

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A young man from Ozone Park who won a special election earlier this year kept his post; a Chinese immigrant businessman from Flushing won victory in a Democratic district; and a Pagan ex-cop and attorney from Whitestone who endured probing questions about his faith stood tall as the new Republican triumvirate of Queens.

Eric Ulrich, Peter Koo and Dan Halloran will be three out of the five representatives of the GOP in the City Council; the other two are from Staten Island. During his victory speech at his Bell Boulevard headquarters, Halloran asked rhetorically, “And who do you think the next Council Minority Leader will be?” leading to chants of “Dan’s our man!”

Prior to the 2001 election, Queens was home to three GOP Council members, but that changed with term limits, dropping to just two for the last eight years. The three seats held this Tuesday by the GOP were all created by vacancies. When Councilman Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) won a Senate seat last year he vacated his post and Ulrich won a special election in what has historically been a split district.

The other seats were given up by Council members who opposed the extension of term limits and ran for higher office. In Flushing, John Liu (D-Flushing), who will be the next City Comptroller, had been the latest in a long line of Democrats for the district – where registered Democrats outweigh Republicans by a margin of 6 to 1.

Tony Avella (D-Bayside) challenged Mayor Mike Bloomberg in a primary in September, suffering a massive loss. His seat, which was held by Republican Mike Abel for a decade earlier, now sits in Halloran’s hands.

Halloran said Tuesday night that his faith – he is the first known Pagan to be elected to public office in New York – played too strong a role in the discussion of the campaign.

“I ran for an office because I had ideas, and I feel like those ideas got hijacked by my religion,” he said. “Instead of being able to talk about the overcrowding in our schools, the problems that we had with overdevelopment, the public safety issues that were being created, we spent so much time talking about faith that the message had been lost.”

Throughout the borough, many districts fell as expected. Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck) easily won the seat vacated by his brother David, who failed in his own bid for Comptroller. Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) saw 23 percent of the vote go to Green Party candidate Lynn Serpe and fellow incumbents Tom White (D-Jamaica) , Liz Crowley (D-Middle Village) and James Sanders (D-Laurelton) all went on to victory.

Danny Dromm, who had defeated incumbent Helen Sears (D-Jackson Heights) in the September primary, and Jimmy Van Bramer, who landed the Dem spot in the seat vacated by Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside), were both elected as the first gay representatives from Queens. Karen Koslowitz, who was term limited out of office in 2001, won back the seat vacated by Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills), who had a failed campaign for Comptroller.

Three seats had no opposition, leaving Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) and Julissa Ferreras (D-Corona) able to walk back into City Hall.

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Flipping through the internet I stumbled across New Texas Fried Chicken in Ridgewood and decided to head out and pick up dinner for the family.

Inside, the place is covered with pictures of the food, with fried chicken, Buffalo wings, sandwiches, cheese steak and other specialties lining the walls. The menu is a mish-mash of all sorts of temptations, from Peach Cobbler to family-sized meals of chicken and sides. I made my choices, paid the man, and drove the 10 minutes home, hoping that the food would stay hot and that it would meet the hype I had seen.

I was not disappointed on either count.

To start, the wings were perfect – they weren’t covered in sauce that attempts to add flavor; instead, they were crisp, zesty and carried just the right bite that is easily cooled by a slight dunk in bleu cheese. My wife was pleased, and we were then allowed to continue with dinner.

For my 10-year-old, I went with a staple – what she calls chicken on a bun. A breaded patty sits on a large sesame bun and is topped with mayo, tomato and lettuce. The sandwich is a classic, and these Texas guys got it right.

I had the gyro, which, frankly, was one of the best I’ve ever sampled. The meat was tender and somewhat rare, sliced fresh from the spit. It was soft to the bite and filled with the flavors one expects in quality gyro meat. The condiments were fresh, and the tzatziki sauce plentiful. Wrapped in a triangular foil, I didn’t have to worry about the potential mess spilling onto my lap.

My wife was kind enough to share her wings, so she was able to dig into half of the cheese steak I had ordered. Though it differs slightly from its Philly hallmark in toppings – they used mayo, green pepper, onion and American cheese – the texture of the hero roll that catches the drippings and the sweet and salty blend of flavors, makes its own mark as a local classic.

We stowed the leftover second half of the cheese steak and turned our attention to the aforementioned peach cobbler. It was a small dish, pre-made, and just right for a single dessert. We popped it in the microwave and split it between us over small dishes of vanilla ice cream; the perfect end to a great night when we just didn’t feel like cooking.

New Texas Fried Chicken
803 Cypress Ave., Ridgewood
(718) 386-0413
Cuisine: Take-Out
Hours: 10 a.m. to midnight
Delivery: Yes
Parking: Street

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Queens is a largely Democratic county, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t pockets of Republicans who would be pleased to add to – or at least maintain – their numbers in the Council.

District 19

Kevin Kim, a three-year staffer for U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman’s (D-Bayside) Community Affairs Unit is taking on Dan Halloran, a former cop, bar owner and prosecutor who is currently a lawyer in Mineola.

The race has seen its share of sensationalism, as Halloran’s role in his self-described “pagan” faith has been brought into question, with his campaign refusing to answer questions regarding the effect that role may have on his legislative agenda.

Halloran, whose campaign said he resigned from the NYPD in 1991 because they would not grant him leave for a pagan holiday, has refused to answer any questions about his leadership role since the story was first broken in September.

In a letter sent to other pagans, Halloran wrote, “I have run a Heathen community in New York for 20 years and it has been Theodish for over 12 years. I have served the Troth for over 18 years in a variety of religious and secular ways,” adding, “the fact is my run for public office should be irrelevant to my co-religionists, except as a source of pride, that we are moving into mainstream politics in a major city… If I am elected, it will be as the first Heathen elected in America to a major office- maybe anywhere in the Anglo-European world… our faith will be able to take pride in another accomplishment after 2,000 years of suppression.”

District 20

Democrat Yen Chou and Republican Peter Koo tout different philosophies towards legislating while keeping interests of their future constituents in mind.

“It’s the job of government to teach people how to fish, instead of buying fish every day,” Koo said.

According to New York State Board of Elections records, Chou has not voted in any election or primary since registering in 1999.

“The message is, ‘No one is perfect,’” she said. “That is one thing I accept about myself. I’m saying maybe that is something I feel regretful for.”

Koo is most recognizable as the owner of the Starside Pharmacy chain, but is also active as President of the Flushing Chinese Business Association and Chairman of Program Services for the Flushing Business Improvement District.

Chou has touted a legacy of educational leadership, as a former teacher and member of the 26th District Community Education Council, but had a less-than-50 percent attendance rate during her stint with the CEC.

District 22

Incumbent Peter Vallone, Jr., who is heavily favored in the district so closely tied to his family name, is expecting a large push from Green Party challenger Lynn Serpe, who has raised $23,213 and gained an additional $82,434 in matching funds. With $84,108 still on hand as of Wednesday, she leads over Vallone’s $45,581 on hand. Vallone, who is a participant in the Matching Funds program, has opted not to seek taxpayer dollars to help boost his campaign.

Vallone, who chairs the City Council’s Public Safety committee, drew heat over his vote to extend Term Limits for an additional term.

District 23

In this battle, the Democratic Primary was not the end for candidate Bob Friedrich, who lost to Mark Weprin in September, but remains on the ballot on the Conservative line.

They are both fighting for the seat held by David Weprin, who lost his bid to attain a spot on the ballot for Comptroller in November. Insiders have said that if Mark Weprin were to win his brother’s seat, it is possible that David Weprin’s name could come up to replace his brother in a special election.

District 25

Danny Dromm ousted incumbent Helen Sears from the ballot for November and still faces a challenge from a profoundly under-funded Republican, Mujib Rahman, though historically the Jackson Heights seat has voted Democratic. If Danny were to win, he would likely be one of two new Council members from Queens who are gay men.

District 26

The second likely gay man to win a Council post from Queens is Jimmy Van Bramer, who defeated County-supported Deirdre Feerick in the September primary. Though Feerick is still on the ballot on the Independence line, she has thrown her support behind Van Bramer, who faces newcomer Angelo Magaros, who has $67,078 available in the bank as of Oct. 2. Like the neighboring District 25, Republicans do not typically fare well in the 26th, but Van Bramer will definitely have to work hard to bring out the vote if he wants to make it to City Hall in January.

District 28

Thomas White may have shaken off a slew of rivals for the Democratic nod in his race for re-election, but one managed to hang on. Ruben Wills, defeated in September, is running on the Conservative line against White – who defeated lead challenger Lynn Nunes by a mere four votes. If Wills can get the word out that he is still on the ballot, he may have a shot to unseat White, who had previously been term-limited out of office in 2001, but returned after four years of Allan Jennings representing the district.

District 29

Democrat Karen Koslowitz defeated a wide range of candidates in September, but like Wills in the 28th, one has managed to stay on and isn’t going down without a fight. Lynn Schulman remains on the ballot on the Working Families line, and is hoping for a chance to knock down Koslowitz who, like White, in the 28th, was term limited out of office in 2001.

District 30

In the first of two races where neither incumbent has been in office more a year, Elizabeth Crowley defends her win from last November, this time against a strong Republican challenger in Tom Ognibene – who was term limited out of office in 2001. This will be the third election for this district in the last 17 months. Following the scandal that led to Dennis Gallagher’s resignation, a special election was held in July 2008 bringing Anthony Como to office. He was defeated by Crowley in November, and the young Democrat is hoping to get back to the council for a full term. Ognibene is well-liked and has a lot of support in the district, and the Crowley name is gold in western Queens, so at this point it’s anybody’s guess who can walk away the winner in November.

District 31

Young Republican Scherie Murray is taking on incumbent James Sanders, who voted to overturn term limits late last year to allow himself a third term in office. Murray’s coffers, however, are almost entirely depleted – she has spent $1,380 of the $1,453 she has raised, while Sanders is sitting on more than $40,000 as of Oct. 2.

District 32

Another newcomer to the council, Eric Ulrich, was just elected in February to replace Joe Addabbo, who moved up to the State Senate. This 24-year-old is being challenged by local Frank Gulluscio, who used to work for Addabbo and has been the District Manager for Community Board 6 for years. In a district where Democrats and Republicans seem to have equal representation, we’ll have to wait until November to see if the young incumbent can beat the experienced challenger.

There are three districts in Queens where the incumbents face no challengers – District 21, Julissa Ferreras; District 24, James Gennaro and District 27, Leroy Comrie.

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Halloran is the “First Atheling,” or King, of Normandy, a branch of the Theod faith of pre-Christian Heathen religions assembled in the Greater New York area. A group of dedicated fellow pagans swear their allegiance to him through oaths of fidelity, allowing luck from a series of ancient gods – specifically the “Norse” or “Germanic” gods Odin, Tyr and Freyr – to pass through the King to his kinsmen.

“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,” Halloran – who in many circumstances surrounding his religion goes by his ancestral name O’Halloran – wrote on his tribe’s Web site.

“We believe in and honor the Gods and Goddesses of the North, spirits of the land, and the memories of our ancestors,” he wrote.

Within minutes of speaking with the Tribune Wednesday, Halloran’s site was listed as “under construction.”

When asked Wednesday about his faith, Halloran was uneasy. “I am not comfortable with injecting my religion into my politics,” he said. “I grew up born and raised Roman Catholic. I went to Jesuit schools. Most of my life has been in traditional Irish household.”

He added, “I don’t think any of this is really relevant to the City Council race. It’s like talking about what church you pray at. That you understand the divine is the most important part.”

Theodism relies upon an interlocking ring of honor, wisdom and generosity to motivate the individual members to achieve a spiritual evolution. “Any earthly life that a man doesn’t die out of as a better and worthier man than he was born into it is seen, in these terms, as a wasted life, ultimately bound for Hel [sic] after death,” Halloran wrote on his Web site. He also is listed on at least one Web site as a “Pagan Attorney” and served as legal counsel and incorporating attorney for the New York City Pagan Pride Project.

“Theodism is… an entirely kin and oath-bound community, operating by certain set standards to which the important business of oath-swearing is regularly and officially held,” Halloran’s site reads. “This has the effect of creating a vast web of social and personal connections high and low, weaving together the doom (fate) of those in the web. It is through this web of oaths that the beneficence of the Gods filters down to the individual members of the tribe, through a mechanism called luck.”

Halloran said that his leadership position in his faith is not simple to explain. “Things in non-mainstream religions are not as clear cut and obvious as in mainstream.” Just like Mormons, he said, the hierarchy, roles and responsibilities of members are difficult for somebody outside the faith to comprehend. “It’s different than being a bishop in a Catholic church.”

Though Halloran’s site notes that “Theodism regularly practices blood sacrifice,” he explained that it is similar to the kashrut practices of the Jewish faith.

Active with the Boy Scouts for more than 30 years, Halloran noted that there are existing Scout troops that recognize his faith. “They want you to be cognizant of the divine,” he said.

State Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose), who said he has known Halloran since the candidate made Eagle Scout, said he was not aware of Halloran’s faith, but did not consider it an issue if the practitioners are “an honorable group.”

“We have every religion under the sun in this district,” Padavan said. “It’s all here; so what? As long as everybody is properly motivated, so be it.”

Halloran explained that Queens GOP Chairman Phil Ragusa and the GOP executive committee were aware of his faith.

Ragusa said Wednesday that Halloran’s religion is not an issue.

“If a person performs and does what he has to do for his district, then he will be a welcome breath of fresh air,” Ragusa said.

He described Halloran as “a traditional person.”

“He seems like a regular guy,” Ragusa said.

Halloran maintained that his faith is not an issue when it comes to serving either the people or his party.

“As long as we proceed in our civic lives with dignity and honor, that’s what matters,” Halloran said.

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