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.
rmenian1-2008nov01,0,417366.story
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
