Resignation calls grow against OC Supervisor Andrew Do after FBI raids

Federal agents this week raided the family home of O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do and his wife — O.C. Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Cheri Pham — as well as a home owned by their daughter Rhiannon Do and multiple properties connected to an LAist investigation into millions of tax dollars that have gone unaccounted for.

• Read about the raids
• Follow the months-long LAist investigation connected to the raids
• Follow LAist reporter Nick Gerda on the latest developments

Responses to the FBI raids have continued to roll in.

On Saturday, the Democratic Party of Orange County called for Do to resign, saying the embattled Supervisor has "compromised his credibility with the people he serves."

Frances Marquez, who is running for Do's seat, told LAist that Do "had a duty to be honest and transparent with the residents of District 1 and failed us" and called for him to step down.

She joined fellow District 1 candidate state Sen. Janet Nguyen, who days ago called for Do to resign immediately. "Orange County taxpayers have every right to be livid and demand justice," Nguyen said in a statement.

Santa Ana City Councilmember Thai Viet Phan, the first Vietnamese American elected to the council, also called for the “immediate resignation” of Do.

“While innocent until proven guilty, Supervisor Do has lost the trust of our community and should not retain power over a $9.3 billion budget,” Phan said.

Community organizations VietRISE and Harbor Institute for Immigrant & Economic Justice also called for Do to resign.

“Residents continue to face skyrocketing rents, evictions, and homelessness, yet Supervisor Do used his position to divert taxpayer dollars towards million-dollar properties for his own family and friends,” the statement from both organizations said. “Supervisor Do has failed the residents of his own District, including the working-class immigrants and refugees of Little Saigon.”

State Sen. Dave Min issued a statement saying he was glad federal authorities were investigating allegations of public corruption in Orange County.

“For too long, Orange County has been seen as a place where corruption and abuse of the public trust are part of the political culture,” he said.

Min’s Rebuilding Public Trust Act, which was inspired by LAist’s reporting, is currently awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature and would require elected officials to recuse themselves from votes that would award government contracts to their family members. He said he hoped the raids would be motivation for the governor to sign the legislation.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said she anticipates the raids will “uncover additional evidence that proves the brazen criminal conspiracy by these individuals who stole millions to enrich themselves instead of feeding hungry, disabled seniors.”

O.C. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said if the allegations against Do and his family are confirmed, "Supervisor Do should consider resigning for the benefit of the Country."