The continuing scandal involving Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and a non-profit group affiliated with his daughter has gone beyond the point of absurdity.
Orange County must stop putting up with Viet America Society’s delays and excuses regarding its use of pandemic-related funds, pursue all legal options to claw back the money – and, if necessary, petition the state attorney general to provide outside oversight.
For a refresher, the group missed various county deadlines to account for how it spent resources that Do diverted to it via his First District discretionary budget. The funds were earmarked for meal programs, but it’s unclear how it specifically was spent given the lack of released records.
Recently, the Viet America Society rejected the county’s demand it return $2.2 million by August 26. “There’s no way they’re getting that money back,” its attorney told the county. This response reminds us of the saying, “When the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When the law is on your side, pound the law. When neither is on your side, pound the table.”
Per the Register, the society fired an accounting group that was conducting a federally required audit, which reportedly found the group “lacked internal controls, did not follow the federal uniform guidelines, did not follow the funding source guidance, and lacked records necessary to establish an audit trail.” Viet America repeatedly missed deadlines for the audit, although it now says it will provide it in a couple weeks.
Over the years, Do reportedly helped direct more than $13 million to the society (via discretionary funds and board-approved contracts) without disclosing his daughter’s role there. That doesn’t violate state or county policy, but it’s sleazy and one reason we’ve repeatedly called for Do to resign from the board. It’s also a reminder why the county ought to slash supervisors’ discretionary budget. All such public spending should require a full board vote, with appropriate disclosures.
Orange County is one of the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated counties in the country. It’s time for the county to stop allowing itself to get rolled.
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