David Krikorian
Encyclopedia
David Krikorian is an American businessman
and twice a candidate for Ohio's 2nd congressional district
, the seat now held by Republican Jean Schmidt
.
Krikorian received a bachelor's degree
in economics and finance from Bentley College
and a master's in business administration from the University of Cincinnati
. He founded and operates Parody Productions, a publishing house that produces novelty playing cards, puzzles, and posters.
Krikorian ran as an independent candidate for the seat in the 2008 race and came in third behind Republican Schmidt and Democrat Victoria Wulsin, receiving 17.71 percent of the vote after endorsements from the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, the Ohio Libertarian Party, and the Georgetown News Democrat.
In 2009 Krikorian announced that he would seek the Democratic Party nomination for the Second District in 2010, with the support of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(of which he is a former local leader) but was defeated by Surya Yalamanchili. In April 2010, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke and Clermont County Democratic Party Chairman David Lane sent a letter to Krikorian, saying saying they had "heard from several sources" that he "made fun of Surya Yalamanchili's name" and stating, "Your comments on Surya’s name are at best insensitive and at worst appear racist. Surya deserves your apology".
During 2009, Schmidt filed five complaints against Krikorian with the Ohio elections commission, alleging racial slurs. The commission decided that three of these complaints were substantiated. In October 2010, a federal court rejected David Krikorian's appeal.
In June 2010 Schmidt sued Krikorian in Ohio civil court, asking for a total of $6.8 million in damages.
On July 1, 2011, Krikorian's complaints to the OCE pertaining to Schmidt were elevated to a full probe by the US House of Representatives Ethics Committee (HEC). Schmidt has been accused of accepting free legal services from Turkish-American interest groups pertaining to her lawsuits against Krikorian.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and twice a candidate for Ohio's 2nd congressional district
Ohio's 2nd congressional district
Ohio's 2nd congressional district is a district in southern Ohio. It is currently represented by Jean Schmidt.The district stretches along the Ohio River from the Hamilton County suburbs of Cincinnati east to Scioto County...
, the seat now held by Republican Jean Schmidt
Jean Schmidt
Jeannette Marie Hoffman Schmidt, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from eastern Cincinnati to Portsmouth....
.
Krikorian received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in economics and finance from Bentley College
Bentley College
Bentley University is a private co-educational university in Waltham, Massachusetts, west of Boston. Founded in 1917 as a school of accounting and finance in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, Bentley moved to Waltham in 1968...
and a master's in business administration from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. He founded and operates Parody Productions, a publishing house that produces novelty playing cards, puzzles, and posters.
Krikorian ran as an independent candidate for the seat in the 2008 race and came in third behind Republican Schmidt and Democrat Victoria Wulsin, receiving 17.71 percent of the vote after endorsements from the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, the Ohio Libertarian Party, and the Georgetown News Democrat.
In 2009 Krikorian announced that he would seek the Democratic Party nomination for the Second District in 2010, with the support of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(of which he is a former local leader) but was defeated by Surya Yalamanchili. In April 2010, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke and Clermont County Democratic Party Chairman David Lane sent a letter to Krikorian, saying saying they had "heard from several sources" that he "made fun of Surya Yalamanchili's name" and stating, "Your comments on Surya’s name are at best insensitive and at worst appear racist. Surya deserves your apology".
During 2009, Schmidt filed five complaints against Krikorian with the Ohio elections commission, alleging racial slurs. The commission decided that three of these complaints were substantiated. In October 2010, a federal court rejected David Krikorian's appeal.
In June 2010 Schmidt sued Krikorian in Ohio civil court, asking for a total of $6.8 million in damages.
On July 1, 2011, Krikorian's complaints to the OCE pertaining to Schmidt were elevated to a full probe by the US House of Representatives Ethics Committee (HEC). Schmidt has been accused of accepting free legal services from Turkish-American interest groups pertaining to her lawsuits against Krikorian.
- The US House of Representatives Ethics Committee (HEC) ruled in early August 2011 that Schmidt had unknowingly accepted funds and assistance from the Turkish Coalition of America for her lawsuits against Krikorian. Schmidt was held responsible for all of her $500,000 legal costs against Krikorian. Ethics complaints filed by Krikorian against Schmidt about illegal third party funding for the lawsuits resulted in his vindication. The HEC warned Schmidt that she could not profit from her lawsuits against Krikorian if the Federal Courts later rule in her favor.
- The Schmidt attorneys from 2008-2010 are alleged to have had prior business contracts representing the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA), which later paid the full $500,000 legal fees to these attorneys for legal costs and actions that benefited Schmidt.
- Prior to the HEC final decision in August 2011, Schmidt provided legal documentation that she was unaware the TCA group may possibly be affiliated with the Turkish government. Schmidt said she did not know TCA had paid her legal bills against Krikorian for almost 2 years, despite she or her Congressional staff meeting with and talking by telephone to these TCA attorneys on a regular basis about the lawsuits against Krikorian. Schmidt then claimed to the HEC that she could not be held legally responsible for the unknown actions of her TCA attorneys. The HEC declared that Schmidt is accountable for paying the full $500,000 in legal fees as an unpaid debt and she should return any and all TCA funds. However, the HEC agreed not to reprimand Schmidt for her not knowing who had paid her $500,000 legal costs for almost 2 years and said her $6.8 million lawsuit against Krikorian should be decided by the Federal courts.