PRESS RELEASE - October 29, 2008.

Federal Reserve implements part of plan.

House minority leader John Boehner called on Congress to enact a component of The Krikorian Plan to restore economic security by eliminating capital gains taxes in order to encourage investors to put money back into the equities markets. Mr. Boehner called for this action yesterday at a campaign stop at Rite Track Equipment in West Chester, OH.

The Krikorian Plan, published this September, is a comprehensive plan to restore economic security to America. The Federal Reserve has already implemented part of the plan and Mr. Boehner’s call to eliminate the capital gains tax is yet another affirmation that The Krikorian Plan provides the bold and necessary set of steps to put our country back on the road to prosperity.

“Mr. Boehner’s office has been provided a copy of The Krikorian Plan and I look forward to working with him in the U.S. House of Representatives to implement the capital gains tax elimination as well as the other important components of my plan,” said David Krikorian.

“Neither of David Krikorian’s opponents, Dr. Victoria Wulsin or Jean Schmidt, has offered any plans on the economic crisis,” said Dee Burdette, campaign spokesperson.

Less than two weeks before the November election, Jean Schmidt says she is NOW willing to conduct her campaign “openly and cleanly” in a pledge which would halt personal attacks. Schmidt calls it her “Clean Campaign Pledge” and she offered it to Wulsin and Krikorian during the WCET debate on Wednesday, October 22, 2008. She made it clear after the debate, however, that she’s NOT willing to do this unless her two opponents agree to sign her pledge. Otherwise, it’s dirty politics as usual. So much for principles.

The Krikorian for Congress campaign can’t decide which is worse, Schmidt’s disingenuous desire to “play nice” less than two weeks before the election or Wulsin’s after debate response stating she has “always run a clean campaign”. Both are tough sells to anyone who’s been paying any attention to either of their campaigns.

Per Ben Fischer’s political blog on Cincinnati.com (posted October 22, 2008), “…the National Republican Congressional Committee has an ad up running right now slamming Wulsin. That’s an independent expenditure, which Schmidt said she “would repudiate” if her opponents went along with the pledge. But she won’t repudiate it until then.” That means Schmidt can sign the pledge, the NRCC can run her attack ads for her, while she repudiates. Does that sound like clean campaigning?

Contrast this with David Krikorian who decided the day he entered the race to conduct his campaign “openly and cleanly” and he has. Krikorian does not represent a political party and does not accept contributions from PACs or special interest groups. He is running to represent the people of OH2. The Krikorian for Congress campaign has focused on the issues throughout the US House race and has avoided the bitter and personal attacks constantly leveled by Schmidt and Wulsin. The Wulsin campaign, for example, has devoted an entire website (embarrassedbyschmidt.com) to expose a multitude of Schmidt’s past issues with the truth, while Schmidt has accused Wulsin of controversial experiments and a host of other offenses. At KrikorianforCongress.com, you won’t find any of this. Our website, like our campaign, is focused on the issues.

“Schmidt didn’t need my help to create her low approval ratings,” says David Krikorian. “Her past record, theatrical debate performances and general lack of understanding of the economic issues facing our country has voters justifiably concerned, while Wulsin also lacks the understanding, background and experience in business and finance to address those issues. Our economic security is at stake and Schmidt is so upset about Wulsin’s attack ads, she wants to call a two-week truce. It might have something to do with the fact her campaign is failing with 70% of the voters. Our in house tracking survey has been showing that voters are very dissatisfied with Schmidt as their Representative to Congress.”

In regards to Ben Fischer’s article (Debate focuses on economy, October 23, 2008), it is almost as disappointing as Schmidt’s “Clean Campaign” stunt and the first on-line reaction calls him on it. The reaction challenges the objectivity of the report and the fact that Krikorian’s comments where not reported in proper context. Excerpts of the online reaction: “Krikorian proposed to eliminate the federal Dept. of Ed because of redundancies at the state and local level. He proposed to modernize our broken entitlement system because it is insolvent. It was all in response to a question about cutting spending, and [Krikorian] looked at real ways we can cut, including our foreign intervention…[His opponents] can only talk about “pork barrel spending”, which comprises less than 1% of our national budget. Way to step up and make some hard choices!” It’s for this very reason our government doesn’t balance the budget. Spending is easy, it’s the not spending that’s difficult.

“In response to Schmidt’s pledge,” said David Krikorian. “I had the opportunity to read it after the debate. First of all, let’s be clear, I haven’t ran any attack ads against either of my opponents and do not plan to. Why should I sign a pledge to stop doing what only Schmidt and Wulsin have done? In the debate, Schmidt dramatically said the voters “deserve” her “Clean Campaign Pledge”, but she’s been UNWILLING to campaign cleanly in this and past elections. Wulsin too. Only my campaign has given the voters what they “deserve” according to Schmidt.

While my opponents have been spending their PAC and special interest contributions on attack ads, I’ve been out meeting the voters from one end of OH2 to the other. I’ve been running an issue-based, grassroots campaign. I have met and spoken with thousands of voters about the issues and specifically my plan to restore our economic security (The Krikorian Plan). Schmidt and Wulsin don’t have plans so they take the low road, while I take the road to the voters.”

“I’m concerned signing this pledge would imply I am guilty of something I’m not,” continues David Krikorian. “Let the two guilty parties sign. I don’t want to join their guilt club. My principles guide me. I don’t need a two week pledge to do what’s right. The people of OH2 deserve better.

I instead challenge my opponents to drop all TV advertising and to agree to a third televised debate which would help my opponents focus on the issues and allow the voters of OH2 to better decide who they want to represent them.”

Please come join David at the beautiful Moyer Winery & Restaurant overlooking the Ohio River for a discussion of our district’s economic future.

PRESS RELEASE - October 21, 2008.

Unlike opponents, Krikorian is focused on the issues.

In Ben Fischer’s October 20, 2008 article on Cincinnati.com, titled “US House race bitter, personal. Schmidt, Wulsin, Krikorian exchange tough shots“, Mr. Fischer should have pointed out that the Krikorian for Congress campaign has focused on the issues throughout the US House race and has avoided the bitter and personal attacks constantly leveled by his two opponents. The Wulsin campaign, for example, has devoted an entire website (embarrassedbyschmidt.com) to expose a multitude of Schmidt’s past issues with the truth, while Schmidt has accused Wulsin of controversial experiments and a host of other offenses.

Regarding Krikorian’s comments as to his doubt regarding Schmidt’s account of her recent hit and run incident, these comments were intended to be “off the record” and reflected his initial reaction to the very earliest news reports which frankly didn’t make sense. These reports indicated that Schmidt received only minor injuries from what was reported to be a hit and run by a car which “didn’t even slow down” and “must have been damaged by hitting her”. When Krikorian learned of Schmidt’s additional injuries, he said “Now it makes sense.” and “I wish her a speedy recovery.”

“I initially questioned aspects of the incident because they didn’t make sense,” said David Krikorian. “I didn’t apologize for those questions because questioning someone who has demonstrated a lack of credibility throughout her public career is not only reasonable, but necessary. Just visit Wulsin’s embarrassedbyschmidt.com website if you’re not familiar with Schmidt’s dubious record. The people of OH2 have a right to know the truth and Schmidt hasn’t always given us the truth. There are still many questions regarding her hit and run accident. There are conflicts between her press release and her written police statement. Based on her past credibility, I believe we have a right to question the facts. I have not, however, made this an issue of the campaign. My comments were meant to be “off the record”. There are much bigger issues such as the economy to discuss and I’m the only candidate who is truly focused on these issues.”

“This congressional race is not about Schmidt, Wulsin, or Krikorian,” said Dee Burdette, campaign spokesperson. “It’s about the people of Ohio’s Second District and their representation in Congress. Schmidt and Wulsin are so focused on attacking each other, they’ve lost sight of what’s important. David Krikorian, on the other hand, is running to serve the people. He doesn’t represent a political party and he doesn’t accept money from PACs or special interest groups. He is the only candidate who understands the economic issues our country currently faces and is the only candidate who has a plan to restore our economic security (The Krikorian Plan). KrikorianforCongress.com focuses on the issues. You won’t find anything about Wulsin moving to Kenya, controversial experiments, or the multitude of items listed on Wulsin’s embarrassedbyschmidt.com. This is all “politics as usual”. It doesn’t serve the best interests of the people and it is certainly NOT what our campaign is about. We don’t wish either of our opponents ill will and we hope Congresswoman Schmidt is recovering from her injuries.”

“The press needs to focus more on what’s important,” says David Krikorian, “My campaign has issued numerous, yet often unreported, press releases and public statements (see KrikorianForCongress.com) regarding critical economic issues and my plans to address them, while Schmidt and Wulsin have been too busy focusing on each other to offer any plans of their own. I am the only candidate with the economic and financial credentials necessary to lead our district through this economic crisis. The Enquirer has previously attempted to dismiss me as a one issue candidate, the economy, but it is our economic security that is at stake. That’s what the people of our district are concerned about and that’s what we need to focus on.”