CINCINNATI, Ohio—Attorney for David Krikorian on Monday deposed Representative Jean Schmidt. Ms. Schmidt provided her sworn testimony with her Turkish Legal Defense Fund team by her side.
Schmidt strongly objected to David Krikorian’s legal right to video tape her deposition as allowed by law. Attorneys for Ms. Schmidt complained to the Ohio Elections Commission to block distribution of the video portion of her testimony. Ms. Schmidt does not want the people of the district to view her testimony in this frivolous legal complaint she filed against David Krikroian.
Some of the more remarkable items arising from Ms. Schmidt’s testimony included:
- She had no idea why she was the largest recipient of Turkish Lobby campaign contributions in the 2008 campaign cycle.
- In all of her conversations with the Turkish Lobby, including two major fundraisers for her , that the subject of the Armenian Genocide resolution and her vote were never discussed. (the picture above is from a Turkish Lobby fundraiser held in northern Kentucky on Feb 18, 2008 which raised $10,757 for Schmidt).
- She claims to have read one book on the Armenian Genocide but could not remember its title however she knew the author was Gunter Lewy, who was described in a 2008 intelligence report by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an influence peddler financed by the Turkish Government to promote the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
- When asked to describe any aspect of the Armenian Genocide, she simply said it occurred during World War I. Other than that, she claimed to have no understanding of what happened.
- Regarding the definition of Genocide, she did not know if it involved murder or just forced relocation of populations. She knew that government action had to be involved in order to call it genocide.
- She claimed to have no idea who Dr. Yalcin Ayasli is although he and his family donated $6,900 to her campaign last year and he was a principle escort on her all expenses paid trip to Turkey this past Memorial Day. (Dr. Ayalsin is the main funding source for the Turkish Coalition of America).
- She does not know if she received any gifts from the Turkish Government.
- She maintained that despite her Turkish donors, the resolutions in Congress and her lack of knowledge about the Armenian Genocide, she is absolutely certain that the two Turkish PACs from which she received contributions, receive no support from the Turkish Government.
The Krikorian For Congress campaign takes no industry Political Action Committee money. The citizens of Ohio’s second congressional district can be certain that David Krikorian will always put their interests ahead of any PAC or Party.
The Ohio Elections Commission hearing will take place on September 3 at 10 a.m. in Columbus. “I look forward to having Ms. Schmidt’s frivolous complaint dismissed so that we can focus all of our energy on issues that directly affect the people of the second district” said David Krikorian.
So as a seemingly oblivious frontrunner, Ms. Schmidt never the less manages to garner random sums of donations out of the goodness of Turkish lobbyists’ hearts? Not likely, it’s clear that she is nothing short of a sniveling lackey for foreign special interest groups. It safe to say we can put her right up there alongside Dennis Hastert and his special interest worshipping mannerisms.
If Ms. Schmidt knows so little about the Armenian Genocide, then why would she accept funds from groups that vehemently participate in denial campaigns and historical revisionism about a dark period of history she allegedly knows nothing about which involved the slaughter of more than 2 millions human beings?
Last but certainly not least, the Armenian Genocide was exactly that, a Genocide of a distinct group of ethnic people. Government involvement was not pursued to establish a “label” of Genocide, instead, government action was pursued in order to maintain the integrity of the truth of Genocide which occurred against the Armenian people during WW I at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Furthermore more, such governmental pursuits were sought to prevent any historically alteration of the truth of the Genocide which was perpetrated against Armenians by the very groups that today give Ms. Schmidt her political allowance and control her purse strings.
Ms. Schmidt wants to represent a large body of people in her district, and yet, based on her answers, she hardly seems educated enough or intelligent enough to even begin thinking about a position of leadership in the second district. Do us a favor Ms. Schmidt, tell your sponsors not to waste tax payer money for court costs in a pathetic attempt to discredit your running mates, then ask them to give you another weekly allowance and buy yourself a one way ticket to Turkey, where you can brown nose for more scraps from their table.
In any other country, Ms. Schmidt’s activities would be considered treason and espionage. Imagine how many representatives are on foreign government payrolls, doing their bidding or just simply helping to navigaqte around the rules. I am appalled.
edward demian
Frau Schmidt has little or no idea about anything that is happening around her, which always has been a ploy of people telling LIES. If shes that stupid: why is she in congress representing my district, isnt that a relection on the electorate.David take over,run her out of office.
Schmidt staffer met March 7, 2008 with a lobbyisyt representative of the Embassy of Turkey. The staffers know what is going on.
Why does Jean Schmidt use a Turkish lobby lawyer – Bruce Fein – to deny that she is beholden to the Turkish lobby?
Burden of proof is on Jean Schmidt to prove that she has not received so called “bloodmoney.”
Since she has admitted to have read only one book about Armenian Genocide, her vote against Armenian Genocide could not have been impartial and objective.