O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do removed from county committees, commissions

Orange County supervisors removed Supervisor Andrew Do from the Orange County Transportation Authority board as well as various county committees and commissions Tuesday as his daughter faces allegations of corruption involving a nonprofit funded in part by discretionary funds from Do's office.

Do was removed from the following commissions and committees:

-- National Association of Counties;

-- Orange County Community Corrections Partnership;

-- Orange County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council;

-- Orange County Emergency Management Council;

-- South Coast Air Quality Management District.

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Do, who was not at Tuesday's board meeting, declined comment to City News Service.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley noted that the board cannot remove Do from office. That would be up to state authorities, she said.

"Unfortunately, we're having to do this because he will not resign and we hope that he will resign because he could not continue to be enriched off of the taxpayers when he -- one -- isn't doing his job and -- two -- is embroiled in a terrible corruption scandal," Foley said.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who has joined Foley's calls for Do to step down, said, "We do this deliberately because we understand what he and his office are facing."

Sarmiento had proposed censuring Do at Tuesday's board meeting, but he said he postponed it for his fellow supervisors to study the issue more.

"To remove (Do) from these commissions and (OCTA) board is a critical step to show transparency," Sarmiento said. "We know the residents of District 1 don't have a representative that is available or as available as he should be ...  I don't think any of us take this lightly or do it for pleasure. It is unfortunate, but these are necessary decisions we have to take."

Do, who is termed out after this year, has faced calls for his resignation as authorities investigate allegations of fraudulent spending of COVID-19 relief funds by a nonprofit that employed Do's daughter, Rhiannon.

Last month, the county sued the Viet America Society and its President Peter Pham, alleging  misappropriation of millions of dollars of pandemic relief earmarked for delivery of meals to needy residents. The Hand to Hand Relief organization, which subcontracted with Viet America Society, was also sued.

The FBI last month searched the Garden Grove home of Pham and the Tustin home of Rhiannon Do as well as the Perfume River restaurant in Westminster, where meals were prepared for Viet America Society's delivery services.

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