Five Key Facts on CIS’ ‘Worst Person in the World’ Krikorian, Leader of Sotomayor Attack

America's Voice Blog

Posted 05/28/09 at 02:48pm

Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies and a writer at the right-wing website, National Review Online. Apparently, he has now entered Keith Olbermann’s ‘Worst Person in the World’ fame. Watch it:

Why the Worst?

This week, departing only slightly from his anti-immigrant agenda, Krikorian annointed himself a key leader in the GOP opposition to the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Krikorian's main line of attack against Sotomayor? It wasn't about her immigration-related rulings, or even her experience or capacity as a judge. Nope, he took offense at how she pronounces her name. Seriously. His remarks have been widely mocked at Think Progress and The New Republic.

Here at America's Voice, we have been following Krikorian, who is often cited as a neutral "expert" on immigration despite his extreme affiliations, very closely. Today we're releasing a report providing necessary background on Krikorian and his extreme viewpoints. As Olbermann's "Worst Person" continues to grace the national stage with his absurd commentary on the Sotomayor hearings and the upcoming immigration reform debate, here are five things everyone should know about him:

Mark Krikorian is a protégé of John Tanton, who created the main anti-immigration organizations, including the Center for Immigration Studies.
Krikorian's mentor, Tanton, has long-standing and well-established ties to white nationalist groups, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Krikorian's group, CIS, was started as a program of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), another Tanton group. FAIR has been designated a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Krikorian thinks Republicans should always oppose immigration reform because, he claims, immigrants are usually Democrats- specifically, Irish and Hispanic immigrants. (No mention of how the GOP continues to lose on immigration wedge politics here!)
Krikorian, from his perch at NRO, warned Democrats they'd lose the 2008 elections by supporting immigration reform. Yep.

Krikorian is often invited by Republican members of Congress to testify at immigration-related hearings. Not only is the guy linked to well-known extremists, but his political prowess seems to be just a tad sub-par. His self-defense piece today, in fact, needs no commentary:

...here's what I was trying to get across: While in the past there may well have been too much social pressure for what sociologists call Anglo-conformity, now there isn't enough. I think that's a concern that most Americans share at some level...

Mock we may, but remember: this is also the guy the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and every major newspaper in America call on for "expert opinion" on immigration. Yikes.

UPDATE: In "Mark Krikorian digs deeper," Media Matters for America writer Jamison Foser argues, "he comes right out and admits that annoyance at having to hear correctly-pronounced names is at the basis of his opposition to immigration and bilingual education."

By Jackie Mahendra
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Krikorian attacked Sotomayor for how she pronounces her name? The guy is a total tool.

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