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Azeri Lobbyist Fundraises For Krekorian Opponent

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  • Azeri Lobbyist Fundraises For Krekorian Opponent

    AZERI LOBBYIST FUNDRAISES FOR KREKORIAN OPPONENT
    By Ara Khachatourian

    Christine Essel (L) and Paul Krekorian (R)
    Nov 18th, 2009

    LOS ANGELES-With less than three weeks left to the Los Angeles City
    Council run-off elections between Paul Krekorian and Christine Essel,
    Asbarez has obtained an email from a leading Azeri lobbyist asking
    for support and donations for the Essel campaign.

    Jason Katz, who is the principal of The Tool Shed Group, a strategic
    communications, business development and public affairs company,
    has received $35,000 to lobby for the government of Azerbaijan and
    shows the Consulate General of Azerbaijan as a client in documents
    filed in the US Justice Department.

    In his Nov. 13 email, which is signed by him and clearly states
    his affiliation with The Tool Shed Group, Katz urges recipients to
    contribute to the Essel campaign.

    "I can tell you with no reservation that Chris Essel understands the
    needs of the business community and the public and navigates these
    communities and issues, often at odds with one another, with a smart,
    fair and pragmatic approach," said Katz in his email.

    "I can also tell you from direct and personal experience that none
    of these things can be said of her opponent in this race," added Katz.

    This past February, Katz drafted a letter, which was circulated to
    California State Assembly and Senate members and signed by only one
    member, expressing sympathy to Azeri president Ilham Aliyev for "the
    victims of the Khojali tragedy." Azerbaijan claims Armenian soldiers
    massacred Azeri citizens in Khojaly during its war in the early 90s
    against the newly independent Armenian Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Essel's opponent Assemblyman Paul Krekorian worked to prevent
    legislators from signing the Azeri letter by alerting his colleagues
    about the falsehoods contained in it. The lone signatory, Assemblyman
    Felipe Fuentes, by Fuentes was hailed by the Azeri Consulate as a
    hero and victory for Azerbiajan.

    In October, Katz authored an opinion piece in Turkey's Today's Zaman,
    in which he painted Armenia as an aggressor and called on the US to
    focus its alliances with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

    Last month, Essel issued an appeal to the Armenian-American community
    after the Azeri press reported that she attended a fund-raiser by
    "Turkic-Americans."

    "While it is true that I was a guest at a gathering hosted by a
    Turkish-American, my stance on the Armenian Genocide is unwavering. It
    is, and always has been, my position that the genocide of the Armenians
    from 1915 to 1918, like other atrocities, must be recognized as
    historical fact," Essel said in her appeal.

    On October 17, LA-based millionaire and Turkish community leader Mike
    Mustafoglu and his wife, Demetra George hosted a champagne brunch at
    their Beverly Hills home. News reports following the event indicated
    that it was sponsored by a "Pax Turcica," an umbrella organization
    for Turkish groups that includes the Assembly of Turkish-American
    Associations, the Azerbaijani-American Council and Turkish Coalition
    of America, among others.

    An invitation letter authored by Dr. Javid Huseynov of Pax Turcica
    read: "Turkic-American support for Chris Essel is of greatest
    importance, especially due to her runoff election against Assemblyman
    Paul Krekorian."

    "As a community, we must stand up in support of Chris Essel and not
    let the ethnophobic policies poison the Los Angeles City Council,"
    continued Huseynov in his letter, at the end of which he urges
    individuals who could not attend the event to contribute to Essel's
    campaign.

    Essel's campaign manager Tom Berman stressed to Asbarez at the time
    that he event was a campaign "meet and greet," adding that there were
    no funds raised at the event.

    During a meeting with Armenian-American community leaders earlier this
    month, Essel was asked to return any donations she may have received
    from Turkish or Azeri Americans.

    The most recent financial report filed by the Essel camp showed the
    receipt of donations from - Ergun Kirkolavi, president of the Assembly
    of Turkish American Associations, as well as from Katz and his wife.
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