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CONGRESSMAN STEVE COHEN FORCIBLY REMOVED JOURNALIST FROM NEWS CONFERENCE FOR HIS QUESTION ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.08.2008 15:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) forcibly
removed Armenian American journalist Peter Musurlian from a press
conference, apparently frustrated by repeated calls to explain his
Congressional opposition to legislation recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) told
PanARMENIAN.Net.
"Apparently we need to send Congressman Cohen a copy of the first
amendment as well as the state penal code," stated ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "Physically throwing out a reporter committed
to getting the facts on his opposition to genocide legislation,
is nothing more than a high school bully tactic and is conduct
ill-befitting a Member of Congress."
Musurlian, who works for a public access TV station in Burbank,
California, in addition to running his own production company,
Globalist Films, had traveled to Memphis to document the days leading
up to the contentious August 7th Democratic primary between first-term
incumbent Steve Cohen and challenger, former civil rights lawyer,
Nikki Tinker, for LA based Horizon Armenian Television.
Following a series of unanswered interview requests filed earlier
this week, Musurlian attended several Cohen public events on Tuesday
evening, documenting his campaign activities and looking for an
opportunity to speak with the Congressman. Musurlian's efforts to
participate in a Wednesday press conference, hastily called by Cohen
at his own residence, were cut short when a volatile and clearly
agitated Cohen forcibly shoved Musurlian out the door, slamming
it in frustration. Throughout the process, Cohen made disparaging
references to Musurlian's Armenian heritage, and proudly stated his
opposition to human rights legislation commemorating the Armenian
Genocide. That resolution, H.Res.106, has over 200 Congressional
cosponsors and was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee
last October. Following Committee adoption of H.Res.106, Cohen was
a leader amongst a handful of Democratic legislators opposing full
House passage of the resolution, going so far as holding a Capitol
Hill press conference against the human rights measure.
"Genocide must be universally condemned - whenever and wherever it
occurs. Rep. Cohen's opposition to Armenian Genocide recognition
today, begs the question: Which genocide will he oppose commemorating
tomorrow?" noted Hamparian.
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.08.2008 15:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) forcibly
removed Armenian American journalist Peter Musurlian from a press
conference, apparently frustrated by repeated calls to explain his
Congressional opposition to legislation recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) told
PanARMENIAN.Net.
"Apparently we need to send Congressman Cohen a copy of the first
amendment as well as the state penal code," stated ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "Physically throwing out a reporter committed
to getting the facts on his opposition to genocide legislation,
is nothing more than a high school bully tactic and is conduct
ill-befitting a Member of Congress."
Musurlian, who works for a public access TV station in Burbank,
California, in addition to running his own production company,
Globalist Films, had traveled to Memphis to document the days leading
up to the contentious August 7th Democratic primary between first-term
incumbent Steve Cohen and challenger, former civil rights lawyer,
Nikki Tinker, for LA based Horizon Armenian Television.
Following a series of unanswered interview requests filed earlier
this week, Musurlian attended several Cohen public events on Tuesday
evening, documenting his campaign activities and looking for an
opportunity to speak with the Congressman. Musurlian's efforts to
participate in a Wednesday press conference, hastily called by Cohen
at his own residence, were cut short when a volatile and clearly
agitated Cohen forcibly shoved Musurlian out the door, slamming
it in frustration. Throughout the process, Cohen made disparaging
references to Musurlian's Armenian heritage, and proudly stated his
opposition to human rights legislation commemorating the Armenian
Genocide. That resolution, H.Res.106, has over 200 Congressional
cosponsors and was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee
last October. Following Committee adoption of H.Res.106, Cohen was
a leader amongst a handful of Democratic legislators opposing full
House passage of the resolution, going so far as holding a Capitol
Hill press conference against the human rights measure.
"Genocide must be universally condemned - whenever and wherever it
occurs. Rep. Cohen's opposition to Armenian Genocide recognition
today, begs the question: Which genocide will he oppose commemorating
tomorrow?" noted Hamparian.