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Former councilman facing federal corruption charges claims insanity

Former City Councilman and “pagan prince” Dan Halloran now says he’s crazy — but it’s only to stall his trial next week on charges that he aided in Rep. Malcolm Smith’s plan to rig the mayoral race, prosecutors say.

Halloran (R-Queens) notified White Plains federal Judge Kenneth Karas this week that he “underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor” in May 2012 and wants to use insanity as a defense for his alleged aberrant ­behavior.

Assistant US Attorneys Douglas Bloom and Justin Anderson fired back with a letter to Karas, accusing Halloran of doing whatever it takes to delay the trial.

“Pretrial motions were due six months ago” but Halloran waited “until the week before trial to request an insanity instruction,” prosecutors wrote.

“Brain surgery, in and of ­itself, is not a basis for an ­insanity defense. Halloran does not allege that the surgery — which, based on press reports, involved the removal of a benign tumor from
above his ear two years ago — affected his cognition in any way. To the contrary, at the time, he claimed to have recovered well.

“Given that Halloran’s request was filed simultaneously with his application for a six-month continuance, it appears to be nothing more than an attempt to ­delay the trial,” the prosecutors said.

Smith — one of the state’s top Democrats — was busted last year in a failed scheme to secure a spot on the Republican line for the mayoral race allegedly through the bribery of Halloran and two other GOP leaders.

“This is a Hail Mary pass,” said one top GOP insider who has worked closely with the ex-councilman.

“Halloran is an oddball, no question. He’s a druid, for crying out loud! But he’s not insane.”

Before leaving office at the end of 2013, Halloran — who practices a Pagan religion that includes public floggings — had faced a council ethics probe for allegedly engaging in ­affairs with ­staffers.

The GOP insider also said Halloran is “delusional” because he’s telling people he’s going to beat the rap.

“He’s pulling a Vincent Gigante,” the insider said. “The next thing you know he’s going to be walking around in a bathrobe. He’s weak and unethical but he’s not insane. This is desperation.”

Halloran is accused of pocketing $20,500 in cash bribes for acting as an intermediary who set up the cross-party negotiations to get Smith GOP support.

He’s also accused in a second scheme of pocketing $18,300 in cash bribes and $6,500 in straw-donor campaign donations for agreeing to steer $80,000 of council discretionary funding for his district to a company he believed was controlled by those who paid him the bribes.

He faces up to 45 years in prison.

His lawyer, Farrell Miller, did not return messages for comment.