Portantino Urges Mercury Public Affairs to Sever its Ties with Turkey

Glendale, California – Yesterday, Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) sent a strongly worded letter to Mercury Public Affairs calling on the firm to terminate all business with the Turkish Government.  Mercury is under contract with Turkey to provide public relations.  In addition, Portantino urged the firm to meet with representatives of the Armenian Community.  He stressed the urgency of acting quickly and decisively to prevent further loss of innocent lives due to Turkey’s coordinated efforts with Azerbaijan on the unprovoked deadly campaign against the ethnic Armenian nation of Artsakh.   The letter is attached.

California is home to a vibrant Armenian American community which is impacted by the violence along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border.  The state also has a long and positive relationship with the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh including a Senate Committee that Portantino Chairs to further productive relations between California, Armenia and Artsakh.

“It was important to immediately communicate with Mercury’s representatives in California that it is unacceptable for its Washington office to help further Turkey’s ambitions.   It is a painful reminder of past atrocities and underscores a lack of sensitivity toward the current violence against the peaceful people of Artsakh,” commented Senator Portantino.

Earlier this month, the California State Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange, chaired by Portantino, wrote to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo condemning Azerbaijan’s aggression towards the Republic of Artsakh. The members of the Select Committee called on the Trump Administration and U.S. State Department to take a more proactive role in establishing peace in the region.

Read the letter from Senator Portantino to Mercury Public Affairs here: Letter to Mercury Public Affairs