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Foes of Armenian genocide resolution back Adam Schiff's opponent

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  • Foes of Armenian genocide resolution back Adam Schiff's opponent

    Los Angeles Times, CA
    Nov 1 2008


    Foes of Armenian genocide resolution back Adam Schiff's opponent

    Irvine resident raises money for Charles Hahn, who is running against
    the Burbank-based congressman.

    By Molly Hennessy-Fiske
    November 1, 2008

    Opponents of a national resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide
    are attempting to unseat the legislation's sponsor, Rep. Adam
    B. Schiff (D-Burbank), by throwing support behind his long-shot
    Republican challenger.

    Last month, Turkish businessman Ergun Kirlikovali, who opposes the
    resolution and has written for websites that deny the genocide, hosted
    a buffet dinner in Orange County that raised more than $15,000 for
    Schiff's challenger, Charles Hahn. Kirlikovali, 56, of Irvine lives
    outside Schiff's 29th congressional district, as do many of those who
    attended the dinner and made donations.


    Hahn's most recent campaign finance reports show he also received
    $2,300 from the Turkish Coalition USA Political Action Committee, a
    national group that opposes the genocide resolution. He had raised
    about $70,000 as of the last campaign filing Oct. 15, and Schiff had
    raised more than $1 million.

    "If a politician has the right message, we will support him," said
    Kirlikovali, adding that he is determined to unseat Schiff. "If not
    this time, next time. Schiff's days are numbered."

    The congressional resolution, which would officially recognize the
    early 20th century massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks
    as genocide, did not make it to a vote in the House last year. But it
    was held over, passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier
    this year and still has the support of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San
    Francisco) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).


    Schiff has said that if elected, he will try to get the resolution
    passed next year.

    National Armenian groups have lobbied hard for the resolution and say
    opponents, particularly Turkish lobbyists, are increasingly targeting
    Schiff and other supporters. Kirlikovali said Turkish groups have
    staged at least 40 other fundraisers nationally for candidates who
    support Turkish-American relations and oppose the genocide resolution.

    Schiff's campaign staff said they found out about the Kirlikovali
    fundraiser through campaign finance filings last week. The congressman
    immediately directed his campaign to notify several Armenian
    reporters.

    "It was important for people in my district to know that this
    organization in Orange County dedicated to denying the genocide was
    supporting my opponent," Schiff said Friday.

    "We need to send a message back that we won't be deterred or
    intimidated. The history is plain: A million and a half Armenians lost
    their lives in the genocide during the first half of the century."

    Hahn said his acceptance of support from Kirlikovali and other Turkish
    groups should not be interpreted as denial of the genocide.

    "I do not deny the Armenian genocide," Hahn said. "I understand that
    many people died."

    Hahn said that he opposes Schiff's genocide resolution because it is
    divisive and that if elected, he would craft a solution that pleases
    both sides. He said he was canvassing for support door to door in
    Glendale this week and met many Armenian residents who mentioned the
    genocide as an important issue but said they were willing to discuss
    it with Turkish counterparts.

    Local Armenian leaders said Hahn's acceptance of donations and support
    from those who deny the genocide was troubling but did not lead them
    to make extra donations to Schiff.

    People in the Western region headquarters of the Armenian National
    Committee of America, which is in Glendale, are longtime Schiff
    supporters. They were not approached by Hahn before or after the flap
    over the fundraiser, said regional chairman Vicken Papazian. He said
    he was disturbed that Hahn accepted donations from "people who are
    promoting a denialist position" but said his group had not contacted
    the Republican's campaign to complain, Papazian said.

    Hennessy-Fiske is a Times staff writer.

    http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-a rmenian1-2008nov01,0,417366.story

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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