Glendale News Press, CA
March 23 2007
POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:
Focus on genocide in Congress
Rep. Adam Schiff, who represents Glendale and Burbank, pressured
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice about the State Department’s
stance on the Armenian genocide at a House Appropriations hearing
subcommittee hearing on Wednesday.
Though administration officials frequently acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in 1915, the State Department does not
officially recognize the events as genocide.
Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates sent a letter to chairs of
certain Congressional committees stating their opposition to
recognizing the Armenian genocide on March 7, which prompted Schiff
to broach the topic on Wednesday, he said.
"Do you have any doubt in your mind that the murder of 1.5 million
Armenians between 1915 and 1923 constituted genocide?" Schiff said,
speaking directly to Rice, who was speaking before the subcommittee
on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs on budget matters.
Without saying directly whether the events constituted genocide, Rice
stated repeatedly that the issue should be dealt with by the Turkish
and Armenian governments.
"I think that the best way to have this proceed is for the United
States not to be in the position of making this judgment, but rather
for the Turks and the Armenians to come to their own terms about
this," Rice said.
The exchange between Schiff and Rice happened on the same day that
the House Financial Services Committee debated a bill – the
Accountability and Divestment in Darfur Act – that would prohibit
United States government contracts with companies that conduct
business operations in Sudan.
Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of
America, provided testimony at the hearing in support of the bill.
"Armenian Americans, as descendants of the survivors of the Armenian
genocide, cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of the people of
Darfur," Ardouny said.
The State Department’s recognition of the genocide in Sudan and
simultaneous opposition to recognizing the Armenian genocide sends a
mixed message, Schiff said.
"I don’t see how we can have the moral authority that we need to
condemn the genocide going on in Darfur if we’re unwilling to
recognize other genocides that have taken place," he said.
Endorsements announced
The Armenian Council of America, a federally registered political
action committee, has announced its endorsements for the April 3
Glendale municipal elections.
For the Glendale City Council, the group endorsed current Glendale
Unified School District board member Greg Krikorian and former Public
Information Officer for the Glendale Police Department Chahe
Keuroghelian.
"We need city councilmen that will listen to the people," said Peter
Darakjian, executive director of the Armenian Council of America.
"[Krikorian and Keuroghelian’s] management style is to listen to the
people and then make a decision."
For the Glendale Unified School District governing board, the group
endorsed candidate Elizabeth Manasserian. Manasserian is one of six
candidates running for two open seats on the board.
Tony Tartaglia won the group’s endorsement for the Glendale Community
College Board of Trustees race, which has three candidates vying for
two open seats.
The Armenian Council of America endorsements were made by the group’s
nine-member board of directors, Darakjian said. The group announced
the endorsements on March 7.
College Guild makes endorsement
The Glendale College Guild, which represents faculty at Glendale
Community College, has endorsed Glendale Community College Board of
Trustees candidate Christine Rodriguez.
Currently a full-time professor at East Los Angeles College,
Rodriguez is a former member of the Glendale College Guild. She is
also a practicing labor lawyer.
Senator keeps an eye on college spending
State Sen. Jack Scott, who represents Glendale and Burbank, chaired a
joint hearing of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Budget
Subcommittee on Education on Wednesday regarding executive spending
practices at the University of California and the California State
University.
The hearing is part of an effort by the Budget Subcommittee to crack
down on state education institutions’ practice of not disclosing the
financial perks they give to school executives.
It was revealed at a Senate Education Committee hearing last year
that the University of California spent tens of thousands of dollars
in bonuses and perks for some executives without fully disclosing
them, said Wendy Gordon, press aid to Scott.
"It is the public’s money, after all, and [Scott] would like to see
the University of California and California State University make
sure that there is transparency in programs for top executives,"
Gordon said.
On Thursday, the committees heard testimony from Robert Dynes,
president of the University of California, and Chancellor Charles
Reed of California State University.
Both leaders reported changes in executive compensation practices
since last year’s hearing.
Reed reported that a California State University program that
entitled departing executives to one year’s salary when they retired
or quit, regardless of whether they started a new job, is no longer
applicable, Gordon said.
Policy changes within the University of California include a new rule
that restricts future campus presidents from sitting on more than
three outside corporate boards. Current presidents who serve on more
than three outside boards will not be bound by the rule, Gordon said.