Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is facing pressure to resign after his home was raided by federal agents last week.
The raids were part of a probe into the Viet America Society, a nonprofit accused of misusing more than $10 million in pandemic relief funds. According to LAist, Do directed millions to VAS without disclosing his daughter Rhiannon Do’s involvement in the nonprofit.
Rhiannon Do is one of several VAS leaders named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by Orange County earlier this month. Now, Supervisor Katrina Foley is calling for Andrew Do to step down due to his role in the scandal – and also because of a second problem the raids revealed.
“The FBI raided his personal residence, which happens to be in Tustin,” she told KNX News. “He does not represent Tustin for District 1, and so he obviously is living outside of his district, which is not allowed by law, and therefore I don’t understand how he can continue to serve if his personal residence is in Tustin.”
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Foley said she’s calling on California Attorney General Rob Bonta to begin proceedings to remove Do from the Board of Supervisors because he lacks residency in his district.
She added that they received word over the weekend that Supervisor Do won't be attending the next Board of Supervisors meeting, and may not attend future board meetings.
On Monday afternoon, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento also called for Do's immediate resignation.
“I am a firm believer in a person's due process rights, but under these circumstances and given that federal search warrants have been executed … it makes it very difficult for him to be able to perform his functions as a public servant for his residents and constituents,” Sarmiento told KNX News. ”It's a difficult moment for the county and I do think that by him stepping down now it'll help us at least, you know, continue for us to perform our function.”
He added that Southern California "has had its share of public corruption scandals, and I think there is an appetite to move on."
Last week, State Sen. Janet Nguyen, who is running for Do's seat, also called for him to immediately resign.
KNX News has reached out to Supervisor Do's office for a response.
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