Massachusetts Judicial Nominee Rejected over Genocide Denial

Massachusetts Judicial Nominee Rejected over Genocide Denial –

BOSTON (AP)—Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s nominee for a Superior Court judgeship has been rejected by the Governor’s Council, which approves judicial nominees.

The eight-member council voted 4-4 Wednesday to deny attorney Joseph Berman a place on the bench.

Patrick said he’s disappointed and that Berman is qualified.

The choice was a contentious one for some council members. The opposition was led by Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney, a Watertown Democrat.

Devaney objected to Berman’s ties to the Anti-Defamation League, which has worked directly with Turkey to defeat Congressional resolutions on the Armenian genocide and still refuses to unambiguously acknowledge that genocide.

Berman supporters said he helped push the ADL’s national leadership to change its position and acknowledge the Armenian genocide.

Gov. Patrick called the objections to Berman ‘‘unprecedented and unfair.’’

Before and during the height of Armenian Americans’ battle against the genocide denial of the ADL in 2007, National Commissioner Berman apparently never issued a public statement disagreeing with national ADL policies towards Armenians.