Topline:
The Orange County Board of Supervisors selected a firm today to audit some 2,500 contracts approved during disgraced former Supervisor Andrew Do’s time on the board.
Why this matters: Do is currently serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting kickbacks in exchange for directing lucrative county contracts to a nonprofit associated with his adult daughter, Rhiannon Do. LAist first exposed the corruption, which Do publicly denied — up until his indictment.
Why now? Last December, after Do pleaded guilty to a felony bribery charge, the Board of Supervisors voted to hire an external firm to carry out a forensic audit of county contacts approved during Do’s tenure, going back to 2019.
Read on ... for more about the winning bid and tips to help you keep a watchful eye on your local government.
Orange County Supervisors launch an audit into possible corruption
The Orange County Board of Supervisors selected a firm today to audit some 2,500 contracts approved during disgraced former Supervisor Andrew Do’s time on the board.
What's the backstory?
Do is currently serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting kickbacks in exchange for directing lucrative county contracts to a nonprofit associated with his adult daughter, Rhiannon Do. LAist first exposed the corruption, which Do publicly denied up until his indictment.
Read more: A key figure in the Andrew Do scandal just finished law school. Will she be admitted to the bar?
Why now
Last December, after Do pleaded guilty to a felony bribery charge, the Board of Supervisors voted to hire an external firm to carry out a forensic audit of county contacts approved during Do’s tenure, going back to 2019.
The winning bid
The O.C. supervisors chose a Texas-based accounting firm to carry out the audit. It wasn’t the least expensive option at $1.4 million, but the firm did propose getting results in the least amount of time — less than a year. Supervisors said that was important so the information doesn’t get stale.
What will happen with the results?
The county has committed to releasing the results of the audit publicly and in phases, starting with the biggest and riskiest contracts. We’ll likely get those initial results early next year.
Any further evidence of wrongdoing by Do or associates could get rolled into the county’s ongoing civil lawsuit against Do and associates in the hopes of recovering misspent funds. Supervisors said it also was important to identify the weak points that allowed the corruption to take place and anyone else who might have taken advantage of them.
How to watchdog your local government
One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention. Your city council, board of supervisors, school board and more all hold public meetings that anybody can attend. These are times you can talk to your elected officials directly and hear about the policies they’re voting on that affect your community.
