David Krikorian

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^[1] 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,^[2] the Ohio Libertarian Party, and the Georgetown News Democrat.^[3]

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)^[4] but was defeated by Surya Yalamanchili.^[5] 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".^[6]

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.^[7]

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. ^[8]

• 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.^[9]

• 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.^[10]

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