Armen Yousoufian's Blog

After 30 years in business/investment real estate, I added "citizen activist" to my resume in 1997 when I requested sports stadium documents of King County Executive Ron Sims. After being "stonewalled", I sued, winning more at every stage, up to the state Supreme Court. Documents disgorged by Sims (after 4 years denying they existed!) revealed rigged studies. Sims misled the public on the stadiums. Other issues found me (e.g. Critical Areas Ordinance). Google “Armen Yousoufian” for more.

About Me

Name:
Location: Vashon, Washington, United States

I was born and raised in New York City. I took classical violin lessons for 10 years and studied astronomy. I built telescopes, grinding the mirrors from scratch. I was a nerd! I considered a career in classical violin but chose astrophysics. I majored in Physics at Rutgers University for 2 years, then switched and graduated in mechanical engineering. I moved to Seattle in 1969 to work on missiles for Boeing, got an MBA from Seattle University, and became a business and real estate entrepreneur for over 30 years. In 1997 I became involved in open government activism when I asked King County Executive Ron Sims for sports stadium documents. I was stonewalled. I sued under the Open Records, or Public Disclosure, Act. I won the case in King County Superior Court, but still didn’t get all the documents, nor recovered my legal fees, which the law said I was entitled to be reimbursed. I appealed and won more in the Court of Appeals and the court of public opinion. But I still didn’t get all the documents! I appealed again and won yet more in the Washington State Supreme Court. But I still don’t have all the documents! While that fight goes on I have become involved in new issues.

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Link to streaming video of my November 22, 2004 appearance on the Seattle Channel

March 12, 2005

Last November, my friend and now nationally famous blogger, Stefan Sharkansky (www.SoundPolitics.com), interviewed me for a half-hour television program called "Republican Perspective". His interview of me about my Public Disclosure Act lawsuit against Ron Sims is available on streaming video at the Seattle Channel. The program was also broadcast on the Seattle Channel (Comcast 21 in Seattle) some 10 to 15 times in late November and early December, 2004.

Here's what Stefan posted at his blog on November 24, 2004 about the interview: "Armen tells quite a good story about how he initially asked King County Executive Ron Sims' office for documents about the Kingdome/Seahawks Stadium proposal shortly before the 1997 vote. After months of stonewalling, he took the County to court for violating the state Public Disclosure Act and sued to obtain the remaining undisclosed documents, statutory fines and recovery of legal fees. Seven years and numerous court decisions later, the state Supreme Court issued a mixed ruling in Armen's favor and sent his case back to a lower court to recalculate his award. A fascinating tale of governmental arrogance, dishonesty, incompetence and yes, probably some bona fide corruption. Armen is quite the hero for fighting back and holding King County accountable. Watch the whole thing.

[Coincidentally, Armen is also pictured in this photo from today's Seattle Times article about yesterday's Critical Areas Ordinance protest. Armen is to the right of the guy with the big black cowboy hat]."

Armen Yousoufian

posted by Armen Yousoufian | 10:53 PM

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