Genocide is an issue in Schiff race

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.

--

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com