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The Daily News of Los Angeles
March 9, 2013 Saturday
VALLEY EDITION
MEETING: Zareh Sinanyan to speak to accusations publicly on Tuesday.
A Glendale City Council hopeful may be kicked off a city commission
and is already losing political support after he was accused of
posting racist, homophobic and other offensive comments online.
Zareh Sinanyan is scheduled to speak before the Glendale City Council
on Tuesday to respond to allegations publicly aired by Councilwoman
Laura Friedman on March 5 that point to "extremely disturbing"
comments on the Internet allegedly posted by Sinanyan.
A user under the name "Zareh Sinanyan" has allegedly been posting
vulgar comments on YouTube and other websites, including slurs against
gays, Muslims and ethnic groups that include Georgians, as far back as
five years ago, according to an email sent to at least three members
of the City Council.
"I wouldn't bring this up if this was not a very long series of posts
around the Internet on blog sites, on YouTube, that are extremely
disturbing, that are racist, homophobic, misogynist, threatening and
really beyond something that we as a city can afford to have
associated with one of our commissioners," Friedman said during the
council meeting.
The comments were reported by a Glendale blog,
tropicostation.blogspot.com, which showed them as screen shots.
Many of the comments are in response to other YouTube users, while one
September 2012 Facebook comment allegedly left by Sinanyan on the
Armenian National Committee of America includes a racial slur
targeting Mongolians. Most of the original comments have since been
removed from YouTube and Facebook.
Friedman and Councilman Ara Najarian moved to have the council
consider taking Sinanyan off the city Community Development Block
Grant Advisory Committee at Tuesday's meeting. Both incumbents are
seeking re-election and are among 12 candidates, including Sinanyan,
running for three seats in the April 2 election.
Najarian appointed Sinanyan to the committee in November 2009, and
Sinanyan served as chairman from 2009 to 2011.
"Neither one is saying he did anything, but would like to hear from
him to clear it up," said Glendale city spokesman Tom Lorenz.
Friedman and Najarian have declined to comment because "they don't
want to air judgment" before Tuesday's City Council meeting, Lorenz
said.
"There are people that believe that this may be some cruel hoax," Lorenz said.
Blogger Scott Lowe reported that it appeared the comments were
originally made anonymously, but when Sinanyan linked his YouTube
account to his Google+ account, the site retroactively connected his
name to his prior comments. He said the comments were later removed
this week as the emails began circulating around the city.
"City staff has not verified and does not - and cannot - represent
that these posts or any other posts were made by Mr. Sinanyan,"
according to the city's agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
Sinanyan was not available for comment on Friday.
"Since the City Council has chosen to place this on its agenda, he
will address those concerns on Tuesday," said Elen Asatryan,
Sinanyan's campaign director.
Meanwhile, on the "Zareh Sinanyan for Glendale City Council" Facebook
page, supporters have rallied around the Burbank-born lawyer calling
the issue a "smear campaign."
"Unfortunately it has become a common practice in this town that if
you cannot beat an individual and/or when you feel that you have no
possible chance against a candidate of Zareh's caliber, start
spreading lies and rumors in order to distract people from the real
issues," posted Sam Manoukian, a current member of Glendale's Civil
Service Commission.
"I promise you that we will diligently work to find out who is behind
this smear campaign and hold them responsible for their actions."
Other prominent local leaders have pulled their support from
Sinanyan's council campaign including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, Los
Angeles mayoral candidate and Councilman Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles
City Councilman Paul Krekorian.
In a letter to Sinanyan on Friday, Krekorian wrote:
"While I very much hope that the facts will demonstrate that you have
no connection to these vile comments, until such time I cannot even
impliedly lend my support to intolerant viewpoints and language that
are contrary to everything I believe."
March 9, 2013 Saturday
VALLEY EDITION
MEETING: Zareh Sinanyan to speak to accusations publicly on Tuesday.
A Glendale City Council hopeful may be kicked off a city commission
and is already losing political support after he was accused of
posting racist, homophobic and other offensive comments online.
Zareh Sinanyan is scheduled to speak before the Glendale City Council
on Tuesday to respond to allegations publicly aired by Councilwoman
Laura Friedman on March 5 that point to "extremely disturbing"
comments on the Internet allegedly posted by Sinanyan.
A user under the name "Zareh Sinanyan" has allegedly been posting
vulgar comments on YouTube and other websites, including slurs against
gays, Muslims and ethnic groups that include Georgians, as far back as
five years ago, according to an email sent to at least three members
of the City Council.
"I wouldn't bring this up if this was not a very long series of posts
around the Internet on blog sites, on YouTube, that are extremely
disturbing, that are racist, homophobic, misogynist, threatening and
really beyond something that we as a city can afford to have
associated with one of our commissioners," Friedman said during the
council meeting.
The comments were reported by a Glendale blog,
tropicostation.blogspot.com, which showed them as screen shots.
Many of the comments are in response to other YouTube users, while one
September 2012 Facebook comment allegedly left by Sinanyan on the
Armenian National Committee of America includes a racial slur
targeting Mongolians. Most of the original comments have since been
removed from YouTube and Facebook.
Friedman and Councilman Ara Najarian moved to have the council
consider taking Sinanyan off the city Community Development Block
Grant Advisory Committee at Tuesday's meeting. Both incumbents are
seeking re-election and are among 12 candidates, including Sinanyan,
running for three seats in the April 2 election.
Najarian appointed Sinanyan to the committee in November 2009, and
Sinanyan served as chairman from 2009 to 2011.
"Neither one is saying he did anything, but would like to hear from
him to clear it up," said Glendale city spokesman Tom Lorenz.
Friedman and Najarian have declined to comment because "they don't
want to air judgment" before Tuesday's City Council meeting, Lorenz
said.
"There are people that believe that this may be some cruel hoax," Lorenz said.
Blogger Scott Lowe reported that it appeared the comments were
originally made anonymously, but when Sinanyan linked his YouTube
account to his Google+ account, the site retroactively connected his
name to his prior comments. He said the comments were later removed
this week as the emails began circulating around the city.
"City staff has not verified and does not - and cannot - represent
that these posts or any other posts were made by Mr. Sinanyan,"
according to the city's agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
Sinanyan was not available for comment on Friday.
"Since the City Council has chosen to place this on its agenda, he
will address those concerns on Tuesday," said Elen Asatryan,
Sinanyan's campaign director.
Meanwhile, on the "Zareh Sinanyan for Glendale City Council" Facebook
page, supporters have rallied around the Burbank-born lawyer calling
the issue a "smear campaign."
"Unfortunately it has become a common practice in this town that if
you cannot beat an individual and/or when you feel that you have no
possible chance against a candidate of Zareh's caliber, start
spreading lies and rumors in order to distract people from the real
issues," posted Sam Manoukian, a current member of Glendale's Civil
Service Commission.
"I promise you that we will diligently work to find out who is behind
this smear campaign and hold them responsible for their actions."
Other prominent local leaders have pulled their support from
Sinanyan's council campaign including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, Los
Angeles mayoral candidate and Councilman Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles
City Councilman Paul Krekorian.
In a letter to Sinanyan on Friday, Krekorian wrote:
"While I very much hope that the facts will demonstrate that you have
no connection to these vile comments, until such time I cannot even
impliedly lend my support to intolerant viewpoints and language that
are contrary to everything I believe."