State Rep. Mari Manoogian Responds to Trump Campaign’s Last-Minute Pandering to Armenian-Americans

BIRMINGHAM – Michigan State Representative Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) released the following statement in response to the Trump Campaign’s last-minute gathering of the “Trump Victory Middle East Coalition” in Michigan, including Armenian-, Turkish-, and Azeri-Americans within a single group without regard for historical genocide denialism and ongoing military violence by Azerbaijan and Turkey against ethnic Armenians:

“Rather than enforce Section 907 of the U.S. Freedom Support Act, which bans direct aid from the United States to Azerbaijan, this President has chosen to waive that law, giving Azerbaijan an additional $100 million in military assistance, effectively aiding and abetting this attempted second genocide of ethnic Armenians living in Artsakh. One needs only to look at the Vice President’s brother – Congressman Greg Pence, who was one of only 11 Republican votes against the resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide – to really understand that this Administration is not an ally of our community. Frankly, the President’s own personal business dealings in Turkey and Azerbaijan belie this feeble attempt to court Armenian-American voters.

“While the Trump Campaign has chosen to lump our community together with other Middle Eastern ethnic groups – including Turkish- and Azeri-Americans who deny the truth of the Armenian Genocide and the ongoing offensive against ethnic Armenians in Artsakh today – in a last-minute attempt to pander Armenians to the polls, the Biden-Harris team has worked hard to give our community space to advocate for ourselves and to air our grievances. As a co-chair of Armenian-Americans for Biden, I know that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ future administration will be the one that works best for Armenian-Americans, for Armenians, and for Artsakhtsis.

“Armenian Americans know well that actions – not words – are the true measure of friends and supporters of our community. Donald Trump’s record shows us that he is no friend to Armenian Americans, and our community will remember this at the polls on Tuesday.”

State Rep. Mari Manoogian is the state representative for Michigan’s 40th State House district, including Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and the eastern portion of West Bloomfield Township. At 28, she is the youngest woman serving in Michigan’s 100th Legislature and is the first Armenian-American woman to ever hold state-level office in Michigan. Rep. Manoogian also serves as Assistant Whip for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus and is a co-chair of Armenian-Americans for Biden.