For Immediate Release: March, 25th 2012
Contact: Alex Aliferis, Tel.
530-400-5821
Pro-Turkish Congressman Dan Burton recently announced that
he would not run for office again, while a pro-Greece candidate, Dr. John
McGoff, is planning on replacing him.
The redistricted Indiana
Congressional District 5 includes Hamilton County, Zionsville, and a large
section of Indianapolis. According to reports, at least eight candidates are set
to run in the Republican primary, but only one candidate stands out, Dr. John
McGoff. In 2008, McGoff almost defeated Congressman Dan Burton with 45%. He came
close in 2010. But close are not good enough, Greek and Cypriot Americans
needing more friends in the US Congress like Dr. John McGoff to better defend
our positions in Washington.
Just over a month ago, pro-Turkish
Congressman Dan Burton announced his retirement from Congress and due to
McGoff’s tough challenge in 2008 and 2010, Burton did just that. Why is this
seat important to Greek Americans? Simple, Congressman Dan Burton is the front
man for the Turkish Lobby in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, while in 2011
he was appointed as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe.
Recently, Dan
Burton said in a March 12th Politico article, “I’m not planning on that right
now, but I’ve been on every committee that deals with world affairs for the last
30 years, so there’s gotta be somebody out there who knows how you deal with
Russia or Greece or Turkey.” In other words, Burton expects to become another
Turkish lobbyist along with Democrat Robert Wexler in Washington D.C.
The
subcommittee handles foreign affairs that involve Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus and
it is obvious that Burton took exact positions from the Turkish Coalition of
America.
For instance, he voted against the Armenian Genocide Resolution
repeatedly, while he supports the Turkish illegal military occupation of
northern Cyprus.
Each July 20th, he issued extremely pro-Turkish
positions in supporting Turkey’s illegal military occupation. In his July 21,
2009 congressional speech, he praised the Turkish Cypriots and the illegal
Turkish military occupied zone while speaking down on the Republic of Cyprus.
(http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r111:2:./temp/~r111MJUkaw::).
On
Feb 15, 2012, Burton praised ex-Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r112:2:./temp/~r112Z0FHbe::).
Rauf
Denktash involved the Turkish army to invade Cyprus on July 20, 1974 which
resulted in 180,000 Greek Cypriots being expelled from their homeland. Tens of
hundreds of Greek Cypriot women were raped and abused savagely by Turkish
soldiers, civilians were murdered, Christian churches were looted, set ablaze
and destroyed, etc. and Burton praised Denktash who committed such
crimes.
Burton (R) is not alone; he joins pro Turk advocates such as
former Congressman Robert Wexler (D) and former Congressman Michael McMahon (D)
who are also presently retired.
In 2010, Greek and Armenian American
citizens succeeded in defeating pro-Turkish Congressman Michael McMahon.
Nonetheless, the US Congress still holds staunch pro Turks such as Steve Cohen
(D-TN), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Jean Schmidt (R-OH), and Edward Whitfield
(R-KY). However, their ranks are now becoming short as Turkey is
anti-Israel.
The Turkish Caucus numbers 121 congressmen in the 112th
Congress.
The Indiana Congressional District 5 includes a historic Greek
community since 1910. There are over 2,000 Greek Americans in the fifth district
that can swing the vote for Dr. McGoff and allow him to win the
primary.
In past statements, McGoff said, “Congressman Burton has held a
pro-Turkey position and has lashed out at both Greece and Cyprus on the floor of
Congress, while he has routinely voted against bills and proposals that would
strengthen the bonds between Greece and the United States.
In short,
McGoff understands the importance of a strong Greek-American relationship and
the consequences that this has on the region and the rest of the world. As a
Colonel in the Air National Guard, who recently was confirmed by the United
States Senate to be promoted to Brigadier General, he understands and respects
the long history of struggles that Greece and Cyprus have had with
Turkey.
McGoff believes that a nation which is open, free and tolerant is
the best type of government for its people and that the similarities between the
belief systems of Greece and America are to be cherished and celebrated.
Furthermore he supports the withdrawal of the illegal Turkish occupation army
from the Republic of Cyprus, he supports Greek Cypriot refugees to return back
to their homes and properties and advocates for the religious freedom of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate based in Istanbul, Turkey.
The India PAC and the
Armenian National Committee have supported Dr. McGoff.
Greek Americans
need more friends in the US Congress. Dr. John McGoff is a true friend of Greece
and Cyprus. In recent years, the Turkish Caucus rose in numbers, but we can
change that course.
Greek Americans across the USA can help Dr. John
McGoff win the Indiana District 5th district with contributions of $25 to $250
at www.drjohnmcgoff.com before May
2012. The Greek American community in Indianapolis can prove to become a swing
vote for McGoff’s victory in the primary.
####
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The above article was published
March 24, 2012 by the popular Greek Diaspora Blog, HellasFrappe
http://hellasfrappe.blogspot.com/2012/03/pro-turkish-congressman-retires-pro.html
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