Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Resignation calls grow against OC Supervisor Andrew Do after FBI raids
Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do at a board of supervisors meeting on Nov. 28, 2023.
(
Nick Gerda / LAist
)
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.
Support for LAist comes from
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.
Support for LAist comes from
“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."
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist