Kiryas Joel, NY – U.S. Representative John Hall’s razor thin victory over incumbent Congresswoman Sue Kelly, R-NY, was credited by many New York political observers to the support he received from Kiryas Joel, an Orange County village whose 18,000 residents have emerged as a powerful voting bloc in the state.
Less than a year in office, Hall is showing his gratitude in which he recently won House approval for $280,000 in taxpayer funds for the community.
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In 2006, both Hall and Kelly heavily courted leaders of the predominantly Hasidic community. Bold faced political names such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Senator Hillary Clinton, and other prominent political leaders with close ties to the Jewish community wooed village officials on behalf of their respective candidates.
It was a contest ultimately won by Hall, after which the Kelly campaign accused the one-time soft rocker of promising to deliver federal money to the village if elected.
One of Hall’s benefactors, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, garnered an additional $150,000 in rural health program funding to construct a “primary care facility” at Kiryas Joel.
Like the paper said, “in Kiryas Joel, it’s all about the meat.” John Hall got the message. [map]
GO KJ GO!!!