Turkish Group, Congresswoman Fined for Campaign Fraud

Former Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt faces a $2,500 fine for not reporting legal assistance provided by a pro-Turkish group. (Photo: Associated Press/Alex Brandon)

CINCINNATI, Ohio (Cincinnati Enquirer)””Former Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt faces a $2,500 fine for not reporting legal assistance provided by a pro-Turkish group, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Turkish Coalition of America Inc., which aided Schmidt in several legal disputes connected to her political career, will pay a $25,000 fine, the Federal Election Commission said in its letter to all parties in the matter.

The June 10 agreement with the FEC comes nearly five years after Schmidt’s political opponent, David Krikorian, leveled the accusation, which was a part of a multi-front battle between the two over Schmidt’s support of Turkey in Congress and Krikorian’s characterizations about her support.

Neither Schmidt nor Krikorian are in politics anymore, but the battle has continued, long after voters rejected them both.

The Armenian National Committee of America issued a statement after the 2012 Congressional elections, highlighting Schmidt’s ties to groups campaigning for the denial of the Armenian genocide. “We welcome Congresswoman Jean Schmidt’s rejection by Ohio voters. The ethics investigation into her impermissible financial ties with genocide-denial groups allied with Ankara clearly contributed meaningfully to her defeat, as, no doubt, did voter backlash against her relentlessly mean-spirited and unfair attacks against Armenian American candidate David Krikorian,”