Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
OC DA charges Westminster councilmember with trying to bribe parking officer
Traffic on Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, where a city councilmember has been charged with one misdemeanor count of bribery.
(
Matt Gush
/
Getty Images / iStock Editorial
)
Topline:
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that it was charging Westminster councilmember Amy Phan West with trying to bribe her way out of her husband’s Jeep getting towed.
About the charge: In 2023, parking control officers called for a tow truck to remove the Jeep registered to Phan West’s husband that was left abandoned on the street, prosecutors say.
The DA’s office alleges that she identified herself and said she would move the vehicle instead of having it towed. She also allegedly told the parking enforcement officers “how much she loves the Westminster Police Department, that she is close friends with the Westminster police chief, and that she is in the process of getting raises for police department personnel,” according to the announcement.
At the time, city leaders were negotiating with the police union. The parking enforcement officers eventually canceled the tow truck.
The response: Phan West did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
DA's statement: “Holding elective office does not entitle anyone to a separate set of rules, and any attempt to engage in corruption, bribery or any other crime under the shroud of elective office will be thoroughly investigated, and any and all crimes that have been committed will be prosecuted by my office to the fullest extent of the law,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement.
Sponsored message
Background: Last year, Westminster sued Phan West and another councilmember, NamQuan Nguyen, for repeatedly disrupting meetings and creating a “dysfunctional and raucous” atmosphere. At the time, Phan West said the lawsuit was an attempt “to silence dissenting voices.”
What’s next: Phan West is scheduled to be arraigned on one misdemeanor count of bribery on Feb. 24.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
