Hoa Clock Ticking
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Tick, tock, tick, tock; the accountability clock is ticking. Word on the street is there are some members of the Democratic Party of Orange County who will ask the Party Central Committee to reconsider its endorsement last month of Hoa Van Tran if amendments to his campaign finance reports are not filed with the Registrar of Voters by the next meeting on Monday, May 19th at 7 pm.
We’ll have to wait till then to see what if anything happens, but the accountability clock is ticking. This is getting as stupid as Janet Nguyen not disclosing the names of the donors to her “illegal” legal defense fund last year.
Come on Hoa, just get it over with and report your “actual” expenditures. And while you’re at it, if your contributions received are not all reported you should amend that part too.
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Very vigilant Chris.
Makes you wonder who is really behind this doesn’t it Paul?
Sean,
Behind what? Demanding that Democrats follow the rules? Hoa is the bone-head who cannot seem to make sure that expenses of his campaign are reported properly as required by law. If he can’t do that, why should he be elected Supervisor? And why should he retain the DPOC endorsement?
Hoa Van Tran currently holds the endorsement of the Democratic Party of Orange County. In effect the Party is verifying his credibility. If he proves to be not credible, it is prudent for members of the Party Central Committee to suggest reconsideration of their endorsement.
I am simply reporting what I know from members of the Central Committee. Only members of the Central Committee can move forward such a resolution.
Chris,
I certainly hope you stay vigilant in your crusade against Dems when issues arise around candidates not managed by Edgardo Reynoso.
You and I both know there is more to this than “following the rules”. There is a concerted effort to undermine Hoa’s campaign. It is clear to those of us that are truthful with ourselves that this effort reaches far beyond your crusade here on this blog.
It will be quite interesting when everything shakes out and the rats are exposed to the light. Of course by then Janet Nguyen will have won re-election and the mission will have been accomplished.
The Republicans will once again keep their domination of Little Saigon in place and so-called party leadership will be wondering how they will ever make in roads into the Vietnamese community. Brilliant!
Sean,
My concerns about Hoa’s campaign are about his ability, or lack thereof, to supervise the people runnng the operation of his campaign.
As far as there being some kind of clandestine plot to undermine Hoa Van Tran’s campaign is concerned, there is little evidence to suggest that his campaign is anything more than smoke and mirrors. Not really much to undermine.
Further, the problems that have arisen are Hoa Van Tran’s responsibility. He has had plenty of time and plenty of warning to clean this mess up. It is not my fault, that the mess is so obvious that it begged for further investigation. Hoa has chosen to ignore the wise advice given to him more than a month ago to file amended returns and fix the problems.
Hoa has chosen to let Edgardo Reynoso do all the talking and thinking. It is his campaign, his responsibility, and there is no excuse for his apparent willful ignorance.
Sorry Sean, the stupid mistakes may be Reynoso’s fault, but Tran needs to take charge and act responsibly. Until then, he deserves every hit thrown at him, be it from the right or left.
Chris,
As I said the truth will come out and those responsible will be held accountable. I don’t believe that you would be engaged in trashing a Democratic candidate unless you got an okay from somebody within the Democratic establishment. When I have said things that folks at the county headquarters didn’t like I heard about it.
I am sure that if somebody of some stature did not want the continual bashing of Hoa’s campaign to continue it wouldn’t. I am not so naive as to believe that this is all of your doing. There are others involved and they should have the courage to come forward and let themselves be known.
Ooh. The vast left-wing conspiracy.
If Hoa would just follow the very simple rules on reporting of income and expenses wouldn’t this just all go away?
These filings only seem to be difficult to those who are not honest in their reporting. Heck even bad candidates can fill out these simple forms.
Don’t think it’s any democratic leaders stopping Hoa from submitting the truth!
Has Hoa or his campaign been found in violation of anything at this point? Anyone can file a complaint and make allegations. Nothing has come of any of this other than a bunch of blog posts and pontifications.
Who is behind making these allegations and for what reason are they making them?
One would have to rather naive to believe that this is simply about the rules or the filling out of forms. Somebody has an axe to grind with Hoa’s campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso. This has more to do with Edgardo than it does Hoa and his campaign.
When the truth is fully disclosed and the players fully exposed people will be quite surprised.
If you like Hoa so darn much how come you filed against him while he was standing right next to you at the Registrar of Voters?
it is BS for you to lord over everyone the fake mantle of being a Hoa man/ Democrat while you are on the Van Tran payroll.
You are so two faced and sketchy.
Hoa and his campaign have not been “found in violation” of anything — because it takes a finder of fact, a tribunal of some sort, to make such findings.
But do we know that they violated reporting laws?
Yes we do! The mere fact that Hoa is a candidate means that he paid the filing fee and the candidate statement fee. And those were not in his report!
Nobody can grind an axe with Reynoso if Hoa would just amend his disclosure.
For the record Sean, the violations are clear. I have the documentation to back up the allegations and that was provided to Shirley Grindle and included in her complaint.
Having filed a few of these reports myself, I do know what to file, and the missing information contained in the story I wrote last week is as I said irrefutable.
One of the people behind these allegations is ME! I do not just throw this stuff out like some other blogs. I have verified every allegation I have made personally.
If it is as cut and dry as you claim Bolsavik then why bother with an investigation lets just proclaim him guilty. Much of what is being spread around about Hoa comes from those that want to go after Edgardo.
Could it be that moles/rats were placed within Hoa’s campaign to undermine it from the start?
Ask yourself who is it that is making these allegations and who it was that recommended them to Hoa’s campaign. Perhaps some answers can be found there.
These are questions that need to be answered before we all jump on the lets bash Hoa bandwagon.
And don’t forget the Gang Bangers and the sign tearing down.
Chris,
Why would these folks have kept documentation to incriminate Hoa and made copies of it to distribute to bloggers if they were not in this to undermine the campaign to begin with?
In fact weren’t these people making the allegations responsible for some of the very mistakes they claim have been made?
Do you completely deny that there are folks involved that have an axe to grind with Edgardo?
Do you deny that there are some folks who claim to be loyal Democrats actually helping out Janet’s campaign? Do you deny that some well connected Dems have been trying to recruit students to work for Janet’s campaign?
“And don’t forget the Gang Bangers”
That sounds like an awfully racist statement. Young urban Latino’s work for Hoa’s campaign. As do young Asians and older folks of all races.
Would you prefer that these young Latino’s were out cruising the streets?
You sound like a true blue liberal. Just like the libs in Boston that rioted when Black youths were bussed into their communities. How despicable of you.
So Sean your admitting here right now that they aren’t Gang Bangers. Let me show you the Parole reports. Let me also show you the police reports where 2 of them got arrested the night of the fundraiser at original mike’s
How would you be able get your hands on “parole reports”? Somebody must be violating the law if they are sharing reports about juvenile’s with you.
Perhaps you can tell us how you got your hands on such reports. Again if people are looking into arrest records and parole reports of campaign workers, this campaign against Hoa run deeper than just Chris and Jubal.
So what if some of the young urban Latinos have ties to street organizations. Are they not allowed to participate in the political process? Don’t you think it is better that they are doing something constructive rather than hanging out in the streets?
How elitest of you.
Let’s stop beating around the bush.
Sean made an allegation that Chris has received the green like to go after Hoa from a top Dem party official(s)
Chris is this true?
I know you have your suspicions about Hoa but what about the Eduardo factor.
Would State senator Lou Correa let his brother-in-law work for a spoiler candidacy that ultimately goal is to elect a supposedly more conservative pro-Van Tran candidate?
BTW-I remember talking to Lou about Janet’s sole Vietnamese pandering ways and her racist “Mexican” propaganda and he said “she has done a good job”
Sean, there is nothing wrong with cruisin.
Then Sean, if someone wanted to look up and confirm an arrest and conviction(s) of someone all they have to do is go to OC superior court link. It public information!
I try to understand the last comments but is somebody trying to insinuate that a campaign form was not submitted because a background check was not done on a campaign worker with a checkered past.
A back-ground check which would put an unfavorable light on the Hoa’s campaign
I can understand a bitter ex-employee making many types of allegations, but I don’t think said employee could force the campaign to fail to report important financial information. That responsibility lies with the campaign manager, treasurer, and candidate.
As for Edgardo, his employment has nothing to do with his family relationships. Does your brother-in-law control which offers are made to employ you? And which offers you are allowed to accept?
Reynoso has his faults, but he’s been doing this work since before Correa first ran for Assembly.
Sean,
Can you elaborate on high level Democrats recruiting students to work on Janet Nguyens campaign?
Sean @9:40pm
Why are we waiting for an investigation instead of just proclaiming Hoa’s guilt?
It’s like witnessing a guying chopping up his wife. You still report it to the police and still wait for a verdict from the court. But, in the meantime there’s nothing wrong with saying that he has killed.
An investigation may also show who ELSE he’s killed.
So we know Hoa’s failed to report the filing fees. (Unless someone convinces us that the ROV took his candidacy paper without the fees.)
But we want an investigation to confirm the allegations re the other expenses.
And the in-kind contributions too.
Sean,
I think you should get your facts straight before you start coming after me.
You ask: Why would these folks have kept documentation to incriminate Hoa and made copies of it to distribute to bloggers if they were not in this to undermine the campaign to begin with?
The documentation for the genesis of all of this is at the Registrar of Voters. It is in the form of two checks written from the Hoa Van Tran For Supervisor campaign account for his filing fee, and candidate statement. When the reports were filed that fact that under $1,900 was reported in expenditures jumped right off the page. I knew that Hoa had staff (including Edgardo) on the payroll and I figured he paid them by check. I believed that he had paid his filing fees by check. None of these expenditures were reported. This “incriminating information” came in the form of public records, not any former or current staff.
I checked. I asked. And yes, I found a former staffer who was willing to get copies of the payments they received by check from the campaign. It is actually really easy to do. You ask your bank for a copy of the checks that were deposited into your account. That information merely expanded the level of certainty that something was wrong. The unreported checks used to pay the Registrar were actually enough to validate what I suspected. The fact that no payments to staff were reported for a time period that I knew there were staff employed by the campaign made the fact of concealment of expenditures clear.
To suggest that a former staffer worked for the campaign, from its beginning stages, for the purpose of undermining the campaign is beyond paranoia. You assail the character of a former staffer who left a campaign that they clearly believed was breaking the law. Turns out, from what I have found the staffer is right.
You ask: Weren’t these people making the allegations responsible for some of the very mistakes they claim have been made?
Not really sure how you would be in a position to have knowlege of the duties of former paid staff, unless Reynoso is feeding you misinformation. It is simply bull crap to suggest that a former staffer is responsible for the failure to report. The former staffer had nothing to do with the reports. That was the job of Phu Do Nguyen, the campaign Treasurer. Edgardo Reynoso, the Campaign Manager and the Candidate.
But let’s assume for argument that this former staffer was responsible. Why was this staff member’s compensation not reported? It should have been obvious to the Treasurer and Hoa that the payroll for staff was missing from the report. And the staffer could not reasonably be blamed for a reporting error if they did not work for the campaign.
At any rate, this former staffer was neither the campaign manager or the person responsible for financial reporting. The Treasurer and candidate are responsible for the accuracy of the reports.
Joey,
I have not gotten “green” from any one. Sorry, that dog just won’t hunt.
There is no conspirisy to “get” Hoa or his campaign. Whatever fallout happens to Reynoso for his decisions as a campaign manager are his responsibility.
Campaign disclosure is not rocket science. If you get money in a certain period of time you report it. If you pay your expenses out of your checking account during ta reporting period you record those same expenditures on your report. You do not accept or pay for things with cash, unless under $100 and you report all of that.
If someone donates hotel stays for you campaign staff so that the campaign does not have to pay for it, this is an inkind contribution, subject to all disclosure rules and contribution limits.
Finally Sean, it is not the act of an individual reporting possible improper conduct that is a problem. The law make it pretty clear that if you know about a violation and fail to report it, you can be charged with conspirisy to violate that law.
The problem is when a campaign or candidate flagrantly fails to follow the laws. The problem gets worse when the candidate, after being told that there are possible violations, willfully ignores the problems and fails to correct them.
The fault lies with Hoa Van Tran, Phu Do Nguyen, and the campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso, who told them they coud do what they have done. The fault lies with Hoa Van Tran for ignoring the warnings that major problems exist, rather than doing anything to correct the problems.
I don’t really know a lot about the allegations of gang members working on the campaign. But there is evidence that members of the local gang KPC have been seen, and photographed with the candidate, in his office.
“Then Sean, if someone wanted to look up and confirm an arrest and conviction(s) of someone all they have to do is go to OC superior court link. It public information!”
Joey,
Not if they are juveniles.
“You assail the character of a former staffer who left a campaign that they clearly believed was breaking the law.”
Chris,
They left because they were fired.
Sean, be careful about the allegation of whether or not someone was fired. Other than in your writings you do not to my knowledge represent Hoa, or his campaign. You are claiming something that relates to a personnel matter to be fact for which you have no first hand knowledge.
If you are simply relying on Reynoso, who lied about the authorization for the use of Sal Tinajero’s photo in a mailer, I would think twice.
On the matter of whether or not gang members are working on the campaign; maybe this picture will help explain why people have that impression.
Chris you have no first hand knowledge yourself. I have been told this by the campaign and I will stick with what they told me.
Btw, I hope Janet appreciates all you are doing to help her campaign.
In regards to “gang members” working for the campaign, if that is true are you saying that they don’t have the right to be involved in the political process like the rest of us?
If so, that is a very elitist position to take.
Sean,
Do you deny that there are some folks who claim to be loyal Democrats actually helping out Janet’s campaign?
The only Democrat helping out a Republican campaign in the First District that I am aware of is Hoa’s new BFF, Paul Lucas.
“The only Democrat helping out a Republican campaign in the First District that I am aware of is Hoa’s new BFF, Paul Lucas.”
Well then Chris perhaps I should write a post and name the names of the folks involved. Once we air all the backroom and underhanded dealings of those folks, local Dems will look at their party in a different way. I am trying to spare the party the embarassment.
Chris,
The picture that you posted above is the property of the campaign. Obviously your mole stole that picture and gave it to you in an effort to undermine the campaign and to play on the racist fears of folks in the community.
How unethical and despicable.
I would make sure you source check your “intell” further than Reynoso if you want to go there.
If you want to save the party and yourself some embarrassment stop shilling for Reynoso and encourage Hoa to correct his disclosure reports.
You can throw out all the names you want; nobody is going to believe the information came from anyone but, proven liar, Reynoso.
“The picture that you posted above is the property of the campaign.”
Interesting spin Sean. At least you are confirming the photo is real.
If Hoa is providing an opportunity for at-risk youths, young men who may have been (or still be) involved in gangs, to engage in productive civic activities, then all the power to him.
That doesn’t change anything about his failure to amend the financial disclosures, which seems to be rather uncontroversial and so easy to do, though.
How hard is it to just copy off information from your checkbook to the disclosure form?
And why is the comment italicized?
Pretty unethical of moles/rats to steal a photo that is the property of the campaign. Makes you wonder what else they may have stolen. I will be contacting the campaign and let them know that this breach has occured and have them look into what else may have been stolen.
I also find it quite disturbing that so-called liberals are sinking to playing the race card in an effort to undermine the campaign of another minority Democrat.
The publishing of this picture is the Lib OC’s version of the “Willie Horton” ad.
Okay Sean,
Enough.
The linkage between Reynoso and alleged or wannabr gang members is historical, not unique to this campaign. He has had his “kids” threaten more than one volunteer or worker over the fast couple years that I am aware.
The issue here, as Bolsavik points out, is Hoa’s failure to report his expenditures. Gang member relationships are merely ancillary to the discussion.
Chris,
If the issue is “ancillary” then why did you feel it necessary to publish a photo that was stolen from Hoa’s campaign?
Whether you intended to do so or not, the use of this photo plays on the racist fears of people in the community. This is the type of tactics I would expect from the folks on the right.
Janet should be real happy with you doing this given her history of racist mailings attacking Latinos. Make sure you send her a copy of the stolen picture so she can use it in her campaign.
Chris,
I would be careful about stating that I am helping any republican candidate in this BOS race.
Sean,
get off your high horse and face the facts. Edgardo is a low life scumbag and Hoa has made a grave mistake involving himself with him.
Thug Life,
First of all I would like to congratulate you on choosing to further racist stereotypes of urban Latino youth.
Lets face some facts. A mole stole a photo from computers at Hoa’s campaign. That photo was used in a “Willie Horton-esque” fashion.
And you call yourself “liberals”.
Calling Edgardo names doesn’t diminish the unethical standard set here.
Sean,
Youre beating a dead horse. Chris is on a mission and nothing is going to stop him. He has sunken to the depth of Art Pedroza in his “Investigative Journalism”. I would like to know where Chris Prevat earned his Journalism Degree. What College did you graduate from Chris? Inquiring minds want to know.
“Urban Latino Youth”, call it what you like Sean, I’ll call them gangsters when they throw up gang signs. Or are those urban latino signs of endearment for the democratic process?
And don’t give us this holier than thou arguement that moles are unethical, you know just as well as everyone reading this post that if those photos were taken in Janet Nguyen’s office and leaked you would be calling out Janet.
I’m not name calling, I’m stating facts and looking at Edgardo’s track record. Just because I’m a straight shooter doesn’t mean i’m not a liberal, I just don’t bother myself with the double-speak that comes from people like you.
Paul if youi sign a letter that is passed by Dina’s /Van’s people at the Oc REPUBLICAN central committee meeting you are in fact working for their campaign.
No amount of lying will change the facts. You have made into the inner circle of the Trannies and are so Trannielicious.
So quit threatening people and point the finger at yourself.
You cant get elected to dog catcher this year, so get off Van’s payroll and get go back to being an engineer. You are not well suited to being a Trannie stooge.
Chris Prevatt at 11:11am,
You need to stop posting under fake identities. It shows that you have no back bone.
Everyone-
Calm down, please! Outside of the 10 usual suspects who obsess over all this Paul Lucas drama, none of us care. Can you all please stop with the outrageous accusations? This whole 1st Supe race has devolved into the Theatre of the Absurd, and the Paul Lucas stuff is the most absurd melodrama in this entire melodramatic campaign. But please, must we obsess about it even more on this blog?
Andrew,
The only one obsesed wih this BOS race is Chris Prevatt.
What am I, a potted plant?
LOL Bolsavik,
)
Let me clarify. The only one (INHO) who is running on misplaced obsession in regards to my role (actually lack there of) is Chris Prevatt. I actually enjoy your blog, comments and observations made in this BOS drama. I don’t always agree with some of your statements but for someone who is relatively new to the blogosphere, I think you do a really good job. You have taken some digs at me in the pat. But I do believe that you avoided in the most part a lot of hyperbole, and gratuitous reaching of conclusions a la Prevatt Pedroza style. In summary, I hold your journalism prowess with respect and reverence. You have always conducted yourself with journalistic integrity even when we are on the opposite side opinion wise on the issues. I do enjoy your wit and sarcasm and I do believe you avoid being malicious in your blog, comments and stance. I hope that clears it up amigo.
Paul