Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, who represents Council District 13, on Tuesday visited the Asbarez offices, where he sat down for an interview with Asbarez Editor Ara Khachatourian.
It was O’Farrell’s first in-person interview with Asbarez since the pandemic, so the topics discussed covered the 2020 April War and the City Council’s response, as well as the key issues impacting voters in the upcoming June 7 Primary Elections. O’Farrell is running for re-election.
He condemned Turkey and Azerbaijan for mounting an aggressive attack on Artsakh in the fall of 2020, and said that the appropriate response must be given to the “war crimes” committed against the population of Artsakh and Armenia. He also discussed his leading role in steps taken by the L.A. City Council at the time of the war.
O’Farrell also welcome President Joe Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide last year, saying that efforts to educate people about the Genocide and other such atrocities must become a priority.
However, the interview focused more on issues that are of concern to voters as they prepare to cast their ballots in the June 7 Primary.
One of the key issues that is of utmost importance to constituents is proliferation of homelessness, which has reached crisis proportions, that is impacting every resident in Los Angeles.
O’Farrell discussed his and the City Council’s efforts to curb homelessness, saying that his approach has been to shelter—“find a roof over their heads”—as a way to mitigate the further growth of the situation.
