In watching the battle between Van Tran and Janet Nguyen over the past year, I have often asked myself; Self, how low do you think Van Tran and Mike Schroeder will stoop to reclaim their lost power in central Orange County?
In my wildest nightmares, Paul Lucas never came to mind. But Tran and Schroeder went there. The first hint of their desperation came in March when Paul Lucas, without any reasonable explanation, plunked down a more than $1,400 filing fee and pulled papers to challenge Janet Nguyen in the First District Supervisor’s race. Paul had not talked to a soul in Democratic circles before making his decision and speculation ran rampant that he had been convinced to run by Dina Nguyen. Paul professed his innocence and claimed that he decided to run because there were no “good” Democrats running. He implied, to multiple individuals, that he was talking one for the team. Paul has made it clear to me on more than one occasion that he never used those exact words, but his meaning was quite clear.
Then on April 8th, at the meeting of the OC GOP Endorsement Committee, Mike Schroeder allegedly got up and invoked Paul Lucas as the reason why the GOP should not endorse Janet Nguyen. He claimed that Paul Lucas had told him personally that Janet Nguyen had given him opposition research against Van Tran during the 2006 68th Assembly race where Lucas and Tran were opponents.
Then we have Van Tran and his minions distributing a letter on Monday night, signed by Lucas under his ex-officio title of “Member of the Democratic Party of Orange County”, attesting to the same accusation. Don’t take my word for it, here is the letter. One other thing about this letter that you may want to take note of is the date. The letter is dated the day of the OC GOP Central Committee meeting April 21, 2008. Unless Paul is dumb enough to sign his name on a blank piece of paper he had to have signed it between April 8th and April 21st.
Well, we asked Paul about this and it appears that he did indeed sign the letter. He claims that he did not write the letter though. The part about not writing the letter is the only thing about Paul’s response I actually believe. He may not have written it, but he had to know what he was signing, why he was signing it, and what the people he gave it back to would use it for. What I cannot quite figure out is what Van Tran, his puppet Dina Nguyen, and Mike Schroeder promised him in return. What on earth would make a good Democrat crawl into bed with the likes of Van Tran and Mike Schroeder? What could these devils possibly offer that would compel him to allow himself to become such a tool?
When you sleep with the Devil you sell your soul. That is what Paul has done here. It is going to be very hard for Paul to redeem himself. Yes, I’m pretty sure he was used, but stupidity is not an excuse for being stupid. Stupidity should be painful. In this case it will undoubtedly be painful for Paul and his political future as a Democrat. Something tells me this won’t bode well for his Garden Grove City Council campaign.
What is more interesting to me though is the lengths to which Van Tran and Mike Schroeder appear to be willing to go to reclaim their power as King makers. Think about it, how desperate do you have to be for power to stoop to Paul Lucas to get it back?
There have been questions about whether or not Hoa Van Tran is really a stealth candidate being run as a Democrat by Van Tran for the purpose of draining votes from Janet Nguyen. Thus far, while there have been rumors, little has come to light to confirm those speculations one way or another. This is where the law of unintended consequences comes into play. Mike Schroeder and Van Tran clearly want to force Janet Nguyen into a runoff in November. The challenge for them is how to get there. This is where the old playbook of running stealth Democratic candidates jumps off the shelf.
In 1995, the Republicans ran a recall campaign against Republican Assembly Speaker Doris Allen. Because of the risk that a Democrat might get the most votes in the recall election, Republican Party insiders ran a stealth democratic candidate siphon votes away from the real Democrat in the race. The plan did unravel, but by the time it did the mission was accomplished.
It seems that there may be a similar scenario to 1995 playing out in the First District contest. The fact that Mike Schroeder and Van Tran would stoop to use Lucas in an attempt to pull an endorsement from Janet Nguyen got me thinking, and digging. From that digging I have learned that the linkage between Hoa Van Tran and Dina Nguyen goes much deeper than them previously working in the same office. Dina and Hoa have met on several occasions in Hoa’s campaign office. One time in particular was when Janet Nguyen was planning on holding a press event in the same complex as Hoa’s office. Prior to the event, Dina Nguyen met with Hoa in his office where she asked if her campaign could use his office as a base to monitor the event. Campaign staff was subsequently told to not come in on the day of the event by campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso.
Then there is the occasion where Reynoso directed a campaign staffer to call Paul Lucas to let him know that a Janet Nguyen operative had been spotted by campaign volunteers messing with one of Dina Nguyen’s campaign signs. The message was communicated to Lucas, and then mysteriously Westminster Councilman Andy Quach called Hoa Tran’s campaign office to indicate that he had the entire episode on video. I wonder, what prompted him to call Hoa Van Tran with that information?
Then we have Westminster School Board member Andy Nguyen, and old school chum of Hoa’s, who has been sited numerous times at Hoa Tran’s campaign office. This really wouldn’t raise much concern unless you add in the fact that Andy Nguyen has endorsed Dina Nguyen.
So, with my tin-foil hat firmly in place I’ve got to wonder; is it really too much of a stretch to imagine, suppose, speculate, or wonder if Van Tran and Mike Schroeder would stoop so low as to run two democrats as stealth candidates to drain votes from Janet Nguyen? I really don’t know for certain, yet.
But what I do know is that I wouldn’t put it past them and I wouldn’t have been nearly as curious had Van Tran, Dina Nguyen, and Mike Schroeder not used Paul Lucas as a pawn in their little chess game of power.
Mike Schroeder reminds me of Gollum from the movie the Lord of the Rings in his quest to regain his precious ring of power. Van Tran just reminds me of the Devil. Now I’m just waiting for Paul Lucas to exclaim “The Devil made me do it!”
My only question here is why are so many “good” Democrats running interference for Janet Nguyen?
The Vietnamese Democratic Club of Orange County is also staunchly in Hoa’s corner. Are you accusing them of being “Trannies” as well?
I am getting a sinking suspicion that a deal may have been cut with some local Democrats on behalf of Janet Nguyen.
“But we can’t let Van Tran get his grips on the first district” they will exclaim. So instead they have chosen to work behind the scenes to aid Janet. That is like saying “I’m right handed so I don’t care if you cut off my left hand.”
During the last election Janet ran a very racist campaign in which she attacked Latino immigrants. She opined that the Vietnamese came to America the “right way” and Latino’s did not. However rather than holding her feet to the fire for this and demanding that she apologize for this slur, some local Dems have chosen to essentially aid her campaign.
Perhaps rather than eating our own, Hoa Van Tran and Paul Lucus, we should work towards making Janet Nguyen accountable for her words and her actions. As long as we continue to focus on dragging our own down, the Republicans and Janet Nguyen will keep on winning.
And before anyone goes there, I have never met or spoken to Dina Nguyen and I have only met Van Tran once and it was in passing at a candidates forum in 2004. I am not carrying water for anyone. I am supporting Hoa because after meeting with him I liked where he stands on issues importantant to me. First and foremost, unlike Janet and the “Trannies” he doesn’t bash the Latino community.
Great post Chris. I think you got it right. I don’t know what Tran and Schroeder offered Paul, but don’t be surprised if he switches parties now.
I put up the video of the OC GOP Central Committee on my blog. OC GOP Chair Scott Baugh actually reads the Lucas letter and then calls it gutter politics. Tran assistants Saolo Londono and Dave Everett were seen by one of my insiders, putting the Lucas letter on the chairs at the meeting. In the video you can see Everett holding a folder full of the letters.
I really think that Tran has blown his relationship with his party in a big way, just as Paul has nuked his connection to the DPOC. This could well be the beginning of the end for both Tran and Lucas.
I think the whole episode shows how frankly weak Van Tran is; he detests Janet so much that he is willing to do whatever is necessary to eliminate her and replace her with one of his underlings. Then he goes to the CRA meeting, reminds everyone there that he is the highest ranking elected official in attendance and how no one in the Vietnamese community supports Janet; and that the membership smacks him down by endorsing Janet.
Van Tran reminds me of the big Blue hologram of the “Great and Powerful Oz” while Mike Schroeder is busy behind the curtain trying not to draw attention to himself.
Their grip on power is fiction; as evidenced by multiple losses in the political arena and at the ballot box.
If Paul is in the middle of a battle between Republicans eating their own, I’d say: mission accomplished.
Sean,
And your buddy Claudia put up signs during one of her Assembly races saying, in Spanish, “She’s One of Us.” She then proceeded to lose, big time. Good! That was a racist campaign tactic. BTW, I hear she plans to use Edgardo Reynoso for her next Council campaign. I wonder if he will recruit the same gang bangers he has working for Hoa?
And Pulido’s friend Alex “Swap Meet” Vega often shows up to the City Council meetings to say that he is glad his Council is all Latino. He is an obvious racist, but you never call him on that, do you?
Pedroza,
Why do you refuse to call Janet out in regards to her positions, positions that are clearly counter to what you say you believe?
Janet won’t speak out against the protesters and took the same position as Van Tran in regards to that issue. Why did you attack Van Tran and give Janet a pass?
Hoa on the other hand spoke out against the protesters, taking a position not much different than the one you have and yet you bash Hoa. Why is that?
Janet and Van Tran both bash Latino’s and Latino immigrants. Janet mailed racist brochures during the last campaign targeting Latino’s. Why do you bash Van Tran and give Janet a free pass?
Hoa supports amnesty for undocumented immigrants, taking a position not unlike yours and yet you bash Hoa. Why is that?
Time and again you have criticized the Democrats for not cultivating more Latino candidates. You have time and again called for more Latinos to be elected. Now you want to attack Vega for the very same thing. Why is that?
The logic you use here is faulty. You claim to believe certain things and then you support those that oppose those positions and attack those that support them. Go figure.
Yes, Paul! Please leave the DPOC. Your selfish attempts to become an elected official has led you to selling your soul to the devil / Schroeder.
As for the Loretta, Lou and Jose… rather than speculating, determine why they have not endorsed Hoa. They don’t make endorsements or non-endorsements lightly. There has to be a reason(s).
Finally, Sean, I admire your tenacity and loyalty to Hoa; however, your defense of Reynoso is misplaced. Please take what these women have said seriously. There is a reason why they are “disgruntled.”
Please go!,
I am not defending Reynoso. I do not know him other than to have met him at Hoa’s office. My support is for Hoa Van Tran not Edgardo Reynoso.
When I compare the 3 candidates running for the First District, Hoa is the only candidate that I can see myself voting for Reynoso or no Reynoso. You will never see me running interference for Janet or Dina like others have chosen to do.
Janet probably made a deal with our party’s leadership. Or else why on Earth was everyone so mad at Paul Lucas for pulling paper? It wasn’t like the DPOC is backing Hoa in the first place.
Hoa Van Tran seems like a good guy who is in over his head in this campaign.
Dina Nguyen is deer in the headlights, nuff said.
Janet has done some good, but was elected in a disputed special election that nobody told Santa Ana about. She continues to make mis-steps that give her opponents ammunition.
Van Tran walks around the assembly floor like he’s in charge of the reep minority. Fellow OC members can’t stand him, they fear he might turn his trannies on them but they don’t show him much respect on the floor. The endorsement was a good test of his local clout and he couldn’t deliver.
Paul Lucas is a nice guy but a very uninspiring candidate. I’m disapointed in the letter that he signed. I don’t think I have ever agreed with Baugh but I do on this one, this was like schoolyard dirty politics in a vote for class president. Lucas was either used by the trannies or he somehow thought this would help Democrats. In either instance he comes off naive at best and stupid at worst. At first blush sounds like more of the latter!
As a future candidate, one could ask, what does this episode reveal about Lucas’s character? …and could he ever really be considered a viable candidate?
BTW, Chris great post!
This stuff is better than a Grisham novel!
Sean,
Just to clarify, I am not running interference for Janet Nguyen. If you go through the Local Posts archive you will find that I have been quite vocal in opposition to her actions as a Supervisor.
This situation in the First District has clearly gone well beyond a Republican vs. Democrat contest in a non-partisan race. This is now about the ego’s of Mike Schroeder, his apprentice Van Tran, and their hate for Janet Nguyen. All other players, including Hoa Van Tran, are simply pawns in their game of three-dimensional chess.,
Sean-
Ignore Art. Really. He wants to freak out over the speck of dirt in Hoa’s eye, but he won’t EVER talk about the HUGE LOG OF DIRT in Janet’s eye.
And yes, I ultimately have to agree with you that we shouldn’t throw Hoa over the bus because he’s made these mistakes. Am I disappointed in Hoa? Frankly, yes I am. Do I believe what Chris wrote here? Yes, I have no reason not to. But will I go running to Janet because of this? HELL NO! Hoa may be a flawed candidate, but in the end he’s a good Democrat who deserves our support far more than Dina Nguyen or Janet Nguyen.
And to all “Democrats” telling us to support Janet Nguyen-
Where was Janet when the working poor in our district needed aid? She voted in lockstep with the other GOPers to CUT social service spending. Where was Janet when terminally ill people needed their medicine? Janet was the lone vote AGAINST medical marijuana. Whenever we need Janet to pay attention, she just ignores us and does whatever the Lincoln Club & the GOP Machine tells her to do.
No matter how many mistakes Hoa makes, it pales in comparison to Janet’s dereliction of duty to the First District.
Chris,
So because Schroeder and Van Tran hate Janet we Dems are supposed to circle the wagons, eat our own and aid Janet via proxy? I won’t be a part of that.
Janet ran a despicable anti-Latino campaign during the special election. She has never apologized and until she does I will never aid her in any way whatsoever.
You have been vocal about Janet’s actions and now that it is election time you should be even more vocal. Attacking Paul and Hoa only aids Janet. So like it or not you are running interference for her, whether it is intentional or not.
People are upset about a letter that Paul gave to Republicans and nobody is upset about Democrats that ran to Jubal and Red County to trash Hoa’s campaign. All of this just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Why are “we” helping Janet’s campaign? And please don’t try and use the “non-partisan” argument. Everything is partisan and you and I both know it.
Well said Andrew. Whatever flaws Hoa’s campaign may have they are nothing when compared to Janet or Dina.
If mistakes were made surrounding the campaign reports, they will be cleared up. Hoa has hired an outstanding professional campaign treasurer, Kindee Durkee, to come in and look at the books. Any errors, if they exist, will be taken care of immediately.
Edgardo Reynoso and the reporting errors are just excuses being used by folks who won’t support Hoa’s campaign. There is much more to it than meets the eye.
Did local Dems cut a deal with Janet? Is there somebody who wants Hoa’s campaign to fail because if he is successful he stands in their way of being the “King” or “Queen” of the Vietnamese Dems?
Those are questions that we should be askimg ourselves.
First off, Paul Lucas has never been, nor will he ever be a “viable candidate” for anything.
This action proves what many started to think after he filed as a candidate for supervisor – that Paul is only in it for Paul. He was not thinking of the party or anything else. It was a selfish act that backfired. He has a desperate need to have a title and “be somebody” and has never thought about it as a form of public service. The Tran folks, Dina, Schroeder, etc. all recognized this ambition and used him to their advantage. Who knows what they promised him in exchange.
Paul you have to choose between Dina and the Democrats. While the Democratic Party doesn’t have a nice smile and pretty face we do have your back. The Democratic Party also does not have several boyfriends like she does. So don’t feel like you are special, she flirts with many men to get her way.
Your reputation as a bumbling traitor has hurt you with many Democratic folks. Come back from the dark side and back to the people who care about you. Dina and the Trannies are using you. Don’t be fooled.
Dear Chris,
Ever since you have become editor of Liberal OC your attitude has changed. You seem to have come under the spell of power and are wielding it like a weapon.
You continually state that you are not a shill for Janet Nguyen. I call that into question. First, your tone and perspective towards Janet have become increasingly mild and even sympathetic towards Janet.
Second, I have seen you at Azteca with Janet Nguyen and staffers partying it up along with known Democratic Janny Phil Becerra. So my question to you is what has Janet Promised you in return for your support and sympathetic editorials on Liberal OC?
Chris,
In regards to the letter,
There is a precedent in these types of actions. In the BOS primary between Pat Bates and Cassie Deyoung, DPOC Chairman Frank Barabro penned a letter and mailed it to each and every Democrat in that BOS District urging them to vote for Cassie Deyoung. Can you explain to me which Devil he was dancing with at that time? And will you condemn the party chairman for getting in between two Republicans duking it out in a non-partisan race when there are no Democrats in that race?
In this race for BOS district 1, there is a Democrat. His name is Hoa Van Tran. And he is my friend. He has my full support for this race. However, you seem to find amusement in attacking his candidacy by proxy in Edgardo Reynoso.
I got to ask you straight out, has Janet in hr capacity of BOS member for District 1 made you any promises or alluded to nay promises of helping you gain revenge with the County for the way you were treated when you were the whistle blower for hinky contract administration shenanigans?
And I do believe I supported you the best I could in that battle. Trust me Chris, Janet will not support you after she is re-elected with your help. She will throw you under the bus just like she did with me when I gave her money for her legal defense fund to fight Schroeder, Tran Trung et al. Or when I supported her publicly in her battle against her own cannibals.
While we are in the middle of this Democratic feeding frenzy Chris,
I would like to ask you some poignant questions since my loyalty to Democratic values and activism and even my Blue Stripes are being called into question here:
When our Friend Jordan Brandman was running for the Anaheim High School Board of Trustees, did you get out there and walk a precinct for him? Well I did. I believe you just sat back in your armchair and pontificate as usual?
Even now, as the Honorable Debbie Cook is in a fight with Mike Schroeder and Dana Rohrabacher, have you donated to her campaign or walked a precinct for her? Well I have. In fact I have Captained and walked several precincts for her. Have you? Uh No.
For the upcoming Flag Day Celebration of which you live within the area of the AD Committee who is hosting this event; Have you done anything to help produce that event? Has the ERDC bought a table? Well, I not only secured a central location for this event at MY Elks Lodge, I got it for FREE, and I got the Food DONATED by Costco? Saving the event thousands of Dollars in production costs which will now be donated to Wounded Veterans Causes.
What have you done?
At yourself Paul. You messed up big time. Blaming Chris and Phil won’t help get around the point. Come back from the dark to the light before it is too late. How many f ups do you have to make before you see the light?
We all know you are guilty and we all feel sorry for you for getting played but you make yourself look like a jerk and less of a man when you wont own up to what you did. This isnt about Chris or Phil it is about you.
Man up take repsonsibility and the blame and change your ways.
While I am on the subject Chris,
Can you tell me what is that state of the ERDC? I believe you are still the Chair or Co-Chair of that group. Has the ERDC increased its activism at all in the Community?
Where was the ERDC and You as an individual for that matter during Lou Correas struggle for the State Senate? Hmmm, if I remember correctly, you were pissing and moaning about how Lou Broke his promise to stay in that seat and then bemoned the fact that Tom Umbergh will be the next at bat for that seat. But did you actually do anything or did you just piss and moan? Unlike you I was out walking precincts.
In fact during that Senate Race against Tran Surogate Lynn Daucher, I believe you did nothing more thatn piss and moan about the whole thing. While I secured pledge cards for the California Yojng Democrats from the Operating Engineers FOR FREE. That program garned hudreds of Votes NOT ONLY FOR Lou Correa, but I secured so MANY that half of the Crads were sent up north to help the Candidate that eventually beat Dirty Dick POMBO!
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE OF LATE?
How dare you call my integrity into question Sir.
You are a shill for Janet Nguyen. Plain and Simple. You are hurting our FELOW DEMOCRAT Hoa Van Tran by your complicity with Janet Nguyen and her undercover operative Phil Becerra.
When you can match my activism with clear identifyable ACTS, then you may call me onto the floor and question me and my loyalty, activism and my allegiences. Until then, I urge you to hold your judgements.
I thought Chris’s post was very interesting but a little harsh on Paul. There are some that might say the answer to Chris’s question about Paul “What on earth would make a good Democrat crawl into bed with the likes of Van Tran and Mike Schroeder” is : Dina. But that too would be harsh(although a possibility).
There is an old Arabian proverb that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” I submit this proverb applies to Paul and can also be applied to the relationship of Dina and Hoa. Paul may feel its important to have a Democratic supervisor and Hoa is a Democrat. Hoa’s best chance is to hope that Janet is held to under 50% and than he is able to make second place. Whatever can be done to attack Janet would than be in Hoa’s best interests. Leaked memos, hit piece letters, letters of support are all common commodities of campaigns. Many get used and many use. Big deal.
Another reason to give pause before pummeling the sometimes hapless Mr. Lucas is the issue of who would present the biggest danger to the long term interests of the Democratic Party–Janet or Dina?
A perfectly legitimate analysis would be that Janet is the greatest strategic long term threat to the Democrats as she would be a far stronger opponent than Dina against Jose Solorio, Lou Correa, or the next Democratic candidate in the 68th or 69th AD. On the other hand, its also a perfectly legitimate point of view that a Dina victory could be the greater strategic threat because this would consolidate the power of Van Tran who is hot to trot for the congressional seat, if not another shot at Correa’s senate seat. Both arguments have some logic behind them and therefore I think people should pause before blasting people who have acted on their judgement about it.
NCS,
I disagree. Janet is very ambitious and yes she could be a threat however, Paul in bed with Dina does a disservice to Democrats and to himself. For Paul to be associating himself with Van, The Dark Lord, and Dina, and the rest of that motley bunch is foolish and goes against common sense. Not only as Democrats should we be wary of the Trannies but also as believers in good government. In no way should we be aiding a group that uses underhanded quasi legal tactics to the detriment of their community and Orange County as a whole. Schroeder=BAD / VAN= BAD/ Dina= Lover of many.
Chris,
I want to ask you straight out:
First, Are you supporting Janet for the 1st District? If not then WHO Are You Supporting?
Second, Why were you seen at Azteca with Janet Nguyen and Staffers of Janet Nguyen and Janet Nguyen Democratic Operative Phil Becerra?
Third, What have you done of late besides Walk a Precinct for Lou Correa, a man whom you have absolute disdain for due to your perception of his anti-gay stance? How can you compare in relation to my productivity and ACTS as a Democratic Activist? And will you finally give recognition, applaum, and credit, where credit is due to Paul Lucas for his years of service, productivity and identifiable and tangible results driven work for Democratic cause’s events candidates, and campaign s?
Fourth, what vitriol and condemnation do you have for Frank Barbaro, Chair of the DPOC for his drafting and mailing of a letter to Democratic Voters in his BOS District urging them to vote for Cassie Deyoung in her bid for BOS against Pat Bates?
Fifth, seeing as how the unintended consequences of the “Lucas Letter” has dramatically backfired on Van Tran and his colleagues by way of condemnation of Van Tran by the OC GOP, would you now se your way to thanking Paul Lucas for taking a bite out of the Van Tran Machines effectiveness?
I await your responses. Although I assume you’re going to throw out the tired argument of “It’s a Non-Partisan Race” in relation to Deyoung/Bates and Nguyen Vs Tran/Schroeder/ Nguyen. Oh and theres no need to point ot that I referred to myslef in the 3rd person a la Bob Dole. I found it to be easier format to make my points.
Paul,
I love the term you coined for Bacerra. Calling him a “Janny” is pretty darn funny. LOL!!!!
Paul,
Is this really you typing these comments? Or is someone typing them for you and you’re just hitting the send button?
Isn’t that supposedly the story of how your letter was written and you just signed it?
To the Anonymous Couch Potato at 12:36PM:
For your information Sir/ Madame, I am employed. I m under-employed but I am employed none the less.
To be precise, I work as a Job Coach for a Company in Fountain Valley that employs Developmentally Disabled Adults. In this capacity, I work along side the Clients Developmentally Disabled Adults as they produce small items for retail sales. In this capacity I am a part time employee. I get paid minimum wage. I till receive my unemployment minus the amount I earn working part time for minimum wage.
Why do you do this Paul you ask? The reason I do this is because unlike some unemployed Democrats and known Janny’s, I wish to be a productive member of my community and not live on the Government Dole if I can help it. My industry has suffered tremendous losses (construction and development), and yet I refuse to allow that to hinder my ability to be of service o others who are les fortunate and in a much dire life situation than I.
My work with these clients allows me to feel productive, less o a burden on the state which is in dire straights financially, and t the same time, my spirituality level is increased ten fold by working with the less fortunate. At the end of my shift I leave the shop with a renewed sense of personal well being by realizing that although the economy is in shambles, there are always those who are less fortunate than I am.
By giving back to my community in this capacity, I fulfill my sense of community service, my need to be a productive member of society, and to stave off the temptation of being an armchair quarterback like my FELLOW DEMOCRATS and hidden as well as overt Janny’s on this blog.
I hope that answers your questions sir/madam. I await your retort.
Everyone-
PLEASE settle down & behave like grown-ups here! Stop already with the personal attacks & the outing. You all should review the terms of use and think twice before violating them.
I’ve pretty much stopped reading Frank Mickadeit’s column, but a reader pinged that I should. He quotes Jon Fleischman on Mike Schroeder being out of town and made some sort of comment “when the Sith Lord is away” I guess the “stormtroopers won’t come out to play. Nice of Jon to fess up that Schroeder and this Republican buddies are part of an evil empire. Moxley, I bow to your wisdom on the nickname though he’s more Palpatine than Vader.
I hate to get all spiritual on this, but Paul made a mistake and we should forgive it.
The real losers here are Van Tran, Schroeder and Dina Nguyen. The Party pretty much turned their backs on them.
Andrew,
I believe I have a right to defend myself against the egregious accusations and attacks on my character, integrity and my allegiances. I would appreciate it if you and or the editors of this blog would pointedly answer my questions to Chris Prevat.
Apparently the only argument that he can muster is that Van Tran is bad. Well so what! So is Janet. Why is Chris Prevat hanging out in bars with Janet and her crew? And we are not to believe that he is now shilling for Janet?
Chris Prevt has been exceedingly zealous in his attempt to throw me under the bus along with Hoa Tran THE ONLY DEMOCRAT IN THIS RACE!
Chris has yet to acknowledge my years of service to the party and our collective efforts. And he has yet to outline his productivity and actions over the last few years in relation to mine. Chris has come under the spell of Janet Nguyen via her operative Phil Becerra which I evident due to his cavorting with them at Azteca Restaurant.
In fact, ever since Chris was handed the reigns of Liberal OC he has become drunk with power. He is now trying to require members of the blog pen to submit posts relating to DEMOCRAT Hoa Van Tran to him prior to posting for HIS APPROVAL!
Chris you have gone off the deepend Sir!
You have aligned yourself with a Racist Republican Janet Nguyen. And you are attempting to hold Editorial Control over you fellow bloggers in relation to posts about DEMOCRAT Hoa Van Tran.
“The real losers here are Van Tran, Schroeder and Dina Nguyen.”
Dan,
I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. The real losers are the residents of the First District that are going to be stuck with Janet Nguyen for another four years.
Paul-
Yes, I agree. You have every right to defend yourself against libelous attacks. Go ahead and do that.
But please, PLEASE, do not out anyone our attack anyone personally here. I really don’t like playing “referee” here, so please just make your case.
And btw, I support Hoa Van Tran for Supervisor. And no, neither Sean nor I need to “seek approval” before posting anything supportive of Hoa. That’s for the record.
Paul–Listen to Andrew, the wise one. If you do controversial things you’re going to get blasted. I said I thought Chris was a little harsh but you’re in the public eye, get used to it. Defend yourself but don’t go over the top like outing and name calling.
Frankly, I think Chris just did the post to knock Hillary’s win in Pennsylvania off the Liberal OC front page and to change the subject.
So take a deep breath, relax, and in a week(or maybe after June) you’ll laugh at some of this.
Publius,
Sir, when you choose to get a job I will take heed to your charges that I am in it for myself. Until then roll over, change the channel, and take another nap on your fathers couch while your pick up truck rusts in the driveway.
“I love the term you coined for Bacerra. Calling him a “Janny†is pretty darn funny. LOL!!!! ”
Does that mean we can start calling you a “Sally” ?
NCS, Andrew et al:
I will efrian from outing ananymous bloggers who dont not have the intestinal fortitude to put their real name on their avatars comments when taking liberty to attack me on a personal level.
However, I hav yet to hear anyone respond to my rference of Frank Barbaros use of his position of Chair of the DPOC to encourage Democrats to vote for Cassie Deyoung in her bid for BOS against Pat Bates.
Seconly, I have yet to hear any of these armchair quarterbacks answer my call to match their productivity and actions in relation to Democratic activism in contrast to my own.
I challenge Chris Prevat and others who have taken liberty to swipe at me to do just that.
17th Street,
You can call me whatever you want. I could care less. I am proud of my support for, and friendship with, Sal Tinajero. You may think that you are somehow insulting me, but you’re not.
Everyone-
Again, STOP IT!!!! Stop attacking Paul Lucas or Chris Prevatt or anyone else personally. Stop outing other commenters. Stop making baseless attacks on anyone’s commitment to the Democratic Party. This is a blog, people… NOT A KINDERGARTEN PLAYGROUND!
If I see any more comments here that violate the terms of use for this site, then I’ll ask my fellow admins to consider shutting down comments to this thread. Grow up, people! Either learn how to make a rational point or take your irrational garbage to some other site.
Thank you.
Andrew,
This blog has already sunken to new levels. Chris Prevat has become drunk with power. He has attempted to take editorial control over one of your fellow bloggers posts on any matter relating to Democrat Hoa Van Tran.
Chris needs to be sat down by your administrator staff and have a nice talking to. He is exercising excessive zeal in his position. Your blog has become tainted by Chris Prevtat ambitions as an individual and he has forgotten his role in team effort. I have known Chris at least three times longer than you have.
The last time I spoke with Chris I showed him hard evidence that he was absolutely wrong when he referenced a quote attributed to me in and OC Weekly article. I showed him a full retraction from the author Nick Schou and I asked him to apologize for his harsh comments to me as a result of a clear Misquote by an author in the OC Weekly. “He stated you won’t get an apology from me”
After all the years I have known Chris, to be treated this way by him, and with Clear evidence that he was absolutely unequivocally WRONG and he misspoke, he did not offer and apology or retraction of harsh comments he made about me.
This I not the characteristics of an editor an or publisher with ethics. He violated fundamental tenets of Journalism by his refusing to retract statements he made to me as a result of quick judgment without investigation. And nine the face of evidence that he was WRONG, He cast aside years of friendship and stated You Wont Get and Apology From Me”.
Chris Prevat has lost his sense of Democratic Values and Friendship due to his being given the reigns of the Liberal OC.
For Chris’s sake and his very Democratic Soul, I urge you to rescue him from the Curse of Power.
“I urge you to rescue him from the Curse of Power.”
After Monday night’s reep meeting, I have to say the same thing to you Paul.
Paul — you’re in a hole. Stop digging.
and yes Paul; I am still your friend and I still support you for GG city council
Paul,
I still think your a good guy, but you’ve lost me…
Please come clean and tell us did you write the letter and what is your relationship with…
Janet?
Hoa?
Dina?
Schroeder?
Quach?
Paul, your the candidate, step up and behave like one! Apologies to, but Chris is just the editor of a blog designed to incite and encourage political debate so let it go already. You want votes, start earning them.
“I am still your friend and I still support you for GG city council ”
Dan, you’re probably the only one left at this point.
Paul,
I recognize that you have done a lot for democrats over the years. My post was not about what you have done in the past. It was about what you have done related to the First District Supervisors race.
I have nothing to retract regarding the OC Weekly article; I did not quote from it. I do not owe you any apology because in fact, you have been working with Dina, Van, and Mike all along. In fact if anyone is owed an apology, it is those of us you assailed for suspecting that you were in league with Gollum, the Devil, and Dina Nguyen.
As far as my socializing with Janet Nguyen at Azteca goes, I went there after attending Matt Cunningham’s St. Patrick’s Day party, where I also talked to a number of Republicans. Janet was at Azteca and I did sit with, and talk to her. BFD.
I did indeed walk precincts for Lou Correa. I disagree with Lou Correa on many issues, but that did not change the fact that he was the Democratic Party candidate in that race.
I have no outstanding issues with the County of Orange related to my revelation of contracting problems. Therefore, there is nothing for Janet and I to have a deal over. Not that any individual Board Member would have the power to make a deal anyway.
I have taken the position of No Endorsement in the First District contest. Since I do not live in the district, I do not need to decide either.
I do not censure the bloggers on this blog. If that were the case, Sean would not have been able to write his post about Free Passes for Janet, and Andrew would not be allowed to post all of the Hillary fluff he does.
You asked what I have done for the Democratic Party of Orange County. Most recently, I supported the party by assisting significantly in the production of the Truman Award Dinner.
Bottom line Paul, I have not assailed your integrity. You’ve managed to do that all on your own.
Chris,
You said: “Then we have Westminster School Board member Andy Nguyen, and old school chum of Hoa’s, who has been sited numerous times at Hoa Tran’s campaign office. This really wouldn’t raise much concern unless you add in the fact that Andy Nguyen has endorsed Dina Nguyen.”
Unless you can prove your point you may cross over the line of untruth
(English correction: sighted not sited)
Paul Lucas owes us all an apology. I repeat Paul Lucas owes us an apology. I believe that at the next Central Committee Meeting on Monday a Emergency Resolution to censure Paul for conduct unbecoming of an ex officio officer of the party should be brought forward. In fact I believe he should become a Republican and go bother them . I have had it with this fellow. Untrustworthy, Unhinged,, and wild. He wants to play with the big boys let him go play with the Republicans. He is more trouble than he is worth.
April 23rd, 2008 · 1 Comment · posted by MARTIN WISCKOL
Garden Grove Democrat Paul Lucas lent a hand to GOP fixer Mike Schroeder’s effort to defeat Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s reelection effort  but only after Lucas had his own figurative back-alley meeting Nguyen, according to this fascinating post at TheLiberalOC.com. As you may know, Schroeder and Assemblyman Van Tran are political enemies of Nguyen, and are backing Dina Nguyen’s effort to unseat her.
In 2006, when Lucas unsuccessfully challenged Republican Tran for Assembly, Janet Nguyen gave Lucas opposition reasearch on Tran, according to the item. TheLiberalOC backs this up with a letter of admission from Lucas, which was produced at the Monday’s GOP Central Committee meeting in an effort to block the party’s endorsement of Janet Nguyen for reelection. The effort failed and Janet carried the day.
This supervisor’s race just keeps getting better and better
Is he running for lead Trannie or for GG City Council?
How many times can Dina vote for him?
I guess I should read all of the days posts before I start replying. I posted the comment below under another story but this one seems more appropriate:
I am a regular reader but seldom poster on this and all of the other OC political blogs. For the record I walked precints along side Chris Prevatt MANY times for Lou. OCEA endorsed and supported Lou in almost every race as far back as I can remember and Chris has always done his part for all of OCEAs endorsed candidates.
Robert,
I commend you for stating your work with Chris. For the record, I never stated that Chris did not walk precincts for Lou Correa. That was another poster. The crux of the thread above seem to reflect a relationship that I have developed with Dina Nguyen and by extension, I am now the lead Tranny in OC. Will you guys also try to censure Andrew Nguyen or Tammy Tran when they are on the Central Committee for having a relationship with Dina Nguyen? Will you seek censure and tar and feathering of Katrina Foley for running her Republican handpicked candidate against DPOC endorsed candidate Mirna Burciaga? In fact the DPOC recently hosted a fundraiser for Katrina Foley. Will you seek censure and drumming out of town of Bruce Broadwater for having a public and open relationship with Van Tran? How about Mark Rosen who recently changed sides to support Janet Nguyen? Your criticism of me holds no merit. How about all local elected officials who endorsed Mike Carona and Tony Rachaucus, including Loretta Sanchez who you guys are so afraid that Van Tran will take out next election cycle.
I did not endorse a candidate in the BOS race other than Hoa Van Tran. I did not aid Van Tran or Janet Nguyen. In fact it seems to have had a serious negative effect on Van Tran. That is not my doing but it is the result. So why are you guys so mad?
I see Van Tran on numerous occasions in the district every month. It’s unavoidable. We attend many of the same community events. As a result, I have taken the idea that it is of no benefit to anyone let alone myself to hold any bitter feelings toward Tran and to treat him as a pariah. It’s just simply not m style to be like that.
I and Dina have worked closely together on several occasions to bring a skate park to the City of Garden Grove. This resulted after Mayor Dalton and Democrat and Janet Nguyen endorser Mark Rosen banned skateboarding in the city and imposed a 500 dollar fine on any kids caught skating.
I will not apologize for working on behalf kids to gain a new skate park and avoid a 500 dollar fine which their parents would have to pay. In a working class community like GG, 500 dollars is a lot of money.
Because of that, and apparently I hurt some peoples feelings by not including them in my daily life, I am a tranny under the spell of Mike Schroeder. As far as censure at the Central Committee is concerned, you may very well try to do that. However, you will have to site some by laws that were broken. No by laws were broken. I did not endorse Dina over Hoa Tran or Janet Nguyen In fact the net effect of the recent episode at the OC GOP seems to have backfired on Van Tran and caused him serious trouble to him in his own Party.
So my question is, how does that hurt any Democrats? Several people have said that I should be attacking Van Tran and trying to hurt him. Well, it seems to me that he has done that himself. I was only a catalyst.
So where is the damage to the Democratic Party or any other Democrats? The fact is that this dust up is doing damage to Democrats by your own hands. Democrats eating their own. Nothing new. I urge you to really seek out the logic in your anger and find out if you may need to reasess your point of view.
Paul, do yourself a favor and keep quiet. You are only making it worse for yourself.
Paul,
Your story keeps changing. Now you are helping bring down Van Tran!? Nice spin Paul. Um, I think this post was what suggested the negative effect on Van Tran. You really want us to believe that you planned this with your devious cleverlesness?
Paul,
STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR MISTAKES!
No Chris, I never insinuated that I planned this all along (petting a cat and twisting my handlebar mustache) I simply pointed out the simple fact that this event had the effect of harming Van Tran. So your anger towards me seems very unfounded.
Okay Paul. If you say so.
Paul, I’m a hard-core Democrat in Garden Grove. I hate Bush with a passion, Schwarzenegger is a buffoon, and Janet is a dingbat. But, I have to admit, that I can no longer be supportive of your candidacy for council.
You, working with Dina, Van, Mike, whoever is no longer a concern. The fact is you talked with them, you did what you did, and now you’re going to pay the price.
You have lost a lot of support within the Democratic Party whether you think so or not and your political career in Orange County is finished with. If you want to run somewhere, pack your things and move to the Bay Area.
Well Chris, I do say so. You seem to most angry about the fact that I have come to know on a casual level some elected officials of the opposite party and you seem to take serious umbrage with that fact. In that you seem to want to have control over my freedom of association. That is not a Democratic principle.
I met Mike Schroeder at the Home of my beloved Rebecca, Commie Girl. She hosted a party at her home for the then departing OC Weekly Editor Will Swaim. At that party were also Susan Schroeder, Rick Reif, Frank Mickadiet, Steve Greenhut, and a host of other OC Weekly and Right Wing Media authors. Are you going to call Rebecca a Tranny now? I bring this up because you write in this post criticizing me for even knowing Mike Schroeder and Dina Nguyen. Thus attempting to dictate my freedom of association. I have a working relationship with Dina Nguyen. I am not sleeping with her as so many people have postulated. You of all people should know that if I was sleeping with Dina Nguyen, I would post video of it on you tube and mass email blast the link to it.
Your post borders on the paranoid. Why would you take offense to two people fighting the incumbent Republican sharing information that would be harmful to that incumbent Republican? Especially if that incumbents agents are out stealing and tearing down campaign signs?
Hoa Tran and Dina are friends. Dina is also friends with Trung Ta, the leader of the Vietnamese Democratic Club. He is also a Central Committee member. Are you going to call him a Tranny?
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I am not as you say “In bed with the devil.” I’m sorry Chris but I am afraid you are way off the mark in this post.
I am sorry I took you to task and pasted my activism and tried to belittle yours in comparison. But I feel that you truly went way off base in this post. The best thing we can do for the County is at least attempt to show a united front. This type of public cannibalism serves the party and us no good. I hope that we can come together as friends again soon.
Paul
I’ve been reading through all the comments and I haven’t seen Paul Lucas explain one important thing: The contradiction between what Mr. Lucas wrote in the letter and what he told Scott Baugh. Nor did Mr. Lucas claim that Scott Baugh’s recollection of his conversation was wrong.
Maybe Mr. Lucas can clarify.
Bolsavik,
One true fact is Janet in 2006 provided ammo to Paul to hit back Van Tran for the latter’s non-committal to her short-lived Assembly run. Another true fact is Paul signed the letter. There is no contradiction.
Paul,
I am not angrey that you may have casual relationships with republican insiders. I do as well. That is the nature of non-partisan politics.
It just don’t help them by using the good will I have established as a Democrat to assist them in their internal battles.
You pulled papers and plunked down $1,400 to ultimitely not run for Supervisor, clearly at their behest. You have been a communications intermediary between Hoa and DIna’s campaigns, You have been seen making out with Dina on a street corner in Garden Grove. You have signed your name to letters that are unclear in their truthiness. You have explained all of these actions through a variety of conflicting and/or unbelievable denials. Your stories have varied from individual to individual by so much that it seems I am reading from multiple books with the same plot but totally differend dialogue.
Dude, you’ve been caught. Get over it. Stupidity is painful, and it will hurt for a while. Bite your toung and take those consequenses like an adult.
I gotta agree with Paul on one fact: what’s so wrong with getting opposition information from the opposition? Political opponents do that all the time–and reporters always get calls from people trying to undercut their supposed allies. Oh, the stories I can tell you Dems about you Dems…
Everything else in this post went down the rabbit hole a long time ago–entertaining, but sad…
“You of all people should know that if I was sleeping with Dina Nguyen, I would post video of it on you tube and mass email blast the link to it.”
This is yet another reason why you are no longer viable as a candidate for a political office. Pack your bags Paul… you’re done.
Chris,
You make an innuendo by saying “Paul is making out with Councilwoman Dina Nguyen at a corner in Garden Grove. ” You are no longer a credible author. So sad you are lowering yourself because of personal animosity against Paul and Trannies.
Chris,
Your interpretations are all wrong. You cal me a “communications intermediary” between Hoa and Dina’s campaign? Honestly Chris, you need to reexamine yourself. That is total paranoia talking. You could be accused of such spy tactics yourself by your own admition when you are in the middle of passing notes with Janet Nguyen and her agents on that answer non answer fiasco regarding Janet’s view on the protestors.
And you claim I have been seen “making out with Dina on Main Street”. Honestly Chris, do you truly believe that I was making out with Dina on Main Street? That’s paranoid and inflammatory. You should know better.
You keep claiming that I am caught. Caught doing what Chris? I mean seriously. The end result of this event caused serious pain and grief to the Van Tran Machine. So I just don’t understand why you are mad. You still haven’t addressed the fact that Frank Barbaro the Chair of DPOC sent out a letter to plead Democrats to vote for Cassie DeYoung. So I am till very unsure why it is you are so angry.
Please take a minute and ask another person outside of the blogosphere to read your post. It is full of conjecture, and paranoid reaching that smacks of Sara Michelle Spinosa and Art Pedrosa. Read your own post Chris. It is very disturbing. It is not the type of journalism that a reporter would submit to his editor. It s true tin foil hat material.
Chris, you and I hv been friends for years. I dont understand the anger you are experiencing towards me in this event. It just doesnt make sense. I hope that in a short period of time you calm down and look at this situation logically. You may then decide that I m not the devil you claim I am.
Happy Birthday my friend.
Paul
Everyone-
Can we all PLEASE calm down & stop with the personal stuff? I think we all know how much Chris Prevatt has done for the Democratic Party. I have no reason to believe Paul Lucas is a dishonorable person. I just don’t like all these personal attacks.
Can we all just remember to stop, breathe, & think before posting? Thanks.
Gustavo, you are right that nothing is wrong with Paul taking information from Janet and using it against Van Tran in 06. However, it is pretty sleazy to turn on her and work for Dina, Van’s pick, in order to get a GG Council seat. This whole saga that Paul has created gets slimier by the moment. It shows he has no character or morals…
If Sean can quit making baseless attacks with no factual backup, then we’d all be fine. But, I agree with the poster above, Paul is done.
Paul,
How’s this sound?
Perennial Democratic challenger works with sitting Republican Assemblymember’s trannies to discredit a sitting Republican Supervisor.
Perennial Democratic challenger writes a letter naming the reep supervisor as his source of damaging facts about assemblymember.
Perennial Democratic challenger retracts allegations when pressed by OC Republican party chair.
Perennial Democratic challenger has endorsed Democrat supervisor candidate, but is privately meeting with Republican challenger who is also a friend/or whatever.
Oh yeah, and said Perennial Democratic challenger spent his own money to pull papers to run in the same supervisor race, then didn’t go through with it. To most it appeared the Perennial Democratic challenger was put up to it by trannie operatives.
Now Perennial Democratic challenger says no harm, that the powerful Assemblymember was damaged by all these actions so we should all calm down and give him a pass on this.
Oh, and his defense? Mea Culpa? No, everybody else does bad things or is not as good a democrat as the Perennial Democratic challenger is so just let it go.
Would you vote for this Perennial Democratic challenger for anything? Who could endorse such a candidate for office?
…and I wouldn’t have brought this up but you opened the door by typing about the tough economic times. I have to ask, did someone else give you the money to pull papers for the office of supervisor?
“If Sean can quit making baseless attacks with no factual backup, then we’d all be fine.”
Please point to anything that can back up your ridiculous claim. You must have some real issues “Sophia”. I’d love to see you offer something useful and credible just once. But I realize that is just too much to ask of you “Sophia”.
LOL!!!! What a joke!!!
Did Janet talk to Paul Lucas during the 2006 Assembly race? Yes.
Did Janet give damaging materials to Paul Lucas to attack Van Tran? Yes
Did Paul Lucas confirm these facts on his letter? Yes.
What else don’t you understand?
Due to the increasingly unseemly nature of the comments on this thread, comments have been closed.