The eight-member council voted 4-4 Wednesday to deny attorney Joseph Berman a place on the bench.
Patrick said he’s disappointed and that Berman is qualified.
The choice was a contentious one for some council members. The opposition was led by Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney, a Watertown Democrat.
Devaney objected to Berman’s ties to the Anti-Defamation League, which has worked directly with Turkey to defeat Congressional resolutions on the Armenian genocide and still refuses to unambiguously acknowledge that genocide.
Berman supporters said he helped push the ADL’s national leadership to change its position and acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
Gov. Patrick called the objections to Berman ‘‘unprecedented and unfair.’’
Before and during the height of Armenian Americans’ battle against the genocide denial of the ADL in 2007, National Commissioner Berman apparently never issued a public statement disagreeing with national ADL policies towards Armenians.
Why waste our political capital on something this trivial and a guy who affirms the AG? Now Patrick is alienated.
Congratulations to all conscientious citizens and activists, Armenian and otherwise, who spotlighted the unsuitability of the Governor’s chosen nominee.
The ADL is a ziofacist racist organization and this should be no suprise.
“Unfair,” LOL. What the ADL and AIPAC have done to Armenian Americans is unfair, and a price must be attached to it. As long as that price was zero, these outfits have had no incentive to stop harming Armenian Americans politically. This event signals a change. Gov. Patrick, get used to this from now on.
It looks to me that anyone who is a member of the ADL or similar group and wants some higher post, is now going to face tough questions from Armenian Americans, and probably will be rejected, just as Mr. Berman was.
This is a very good outcome. This should be done by all Armenians across the U.S.