Hoa’s newest reports raise even more questions

A reasonable person might think that the Hoa Van Tran campaign might make damn sure that they got their campaign statement for the period ending May 17, 2008 correct. Well if you are that reasonable person, you’re wrong. If their new treasurer were an archer, he would have missed the target by about 180 degrees.

The report is up on the Registrar of Voters website HERE.

First, I am hopeful that the ROV had a problem scanning all of the document. There are only 31 of the 34 pages online. Without those pages, there are only $67,819.20 of the $72,943.70 reported payments available. None of the accrued expenditures are noted. UPDATE: there are missing pages , the ROV will be correcting soon.  

Then you have the real curious part of their disclosure statement is the report of loans made to the campaign. In addition to the additional $37,000 that Hoa loaned himself, somehow the campaign managed to loan itself $13,000. This is really difficult to accomplish since they have no payments made to the campaign by the campaign.

Then we have the matter of ZERO expenditures for volunteer food, refreshments, gas, and $900 in salary for another staffer (the one that got the Temporary Restraining Order against Edgardo Reynoso today). Of course there are also the four staffers Angel, Lorenza, Melissa and Abraham for whom there are no reported expenditures; although these could be on the missing pages.

Now if that was not enough we have the matter of Television advertisements. The campaign reports a contribution from Viet Hai Ngoai-Television Corp. in the amount of $1,000 and a $1,600. Orange County’s Tin-Cup ordinance limits contributions to an individual candidate for Supervisor from one entity or person to $1,600.

Second, it is my understanding that Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN) has been running an average of 16 TV ads per day, 7 days a week, for more than a month. I have a Special Political Campaign Advertising quote from SBTN quoting 112 30-second spots for $3,000 per week.  Even if SBTN has significantly discounted the rate for Hoa, which in and of itself would be an additional in-kind contribution, it defies common sense that 4 to 6 weeks of TV advertisement would not even be reported on the campaign statement.  However, if that is what it costs, I think Janet and Dina should ask for the same rate and run some ads, because this is cheaper than yard signs. Then let’s just add some icing on to this pineapple upside down cake.

It is my understanding that Hoa’s boss and former campaign treasurer Phu Do Nguyen, has a significant interest in SBTN. According to the National Cable Television Association website Saigon Broadcasting Television Network was created by a joint venture involving Asia Entertainment, Inc. and International Networks. Both Asia Entertainment and SBTN have contributed $1,600 each in-kind to Hoa’s campaign in Radio advertising. I am still trying to figure out if Phu Do Nguyen has an interest in Asia Entertainment as well. SBTN and Asia Entertainment share the same business address. I do believe that Phu Do Nguyen does have an interest in the Ramada Inn-Garden Grove. This is the hotel that campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso has allegedly stayed in, for free, for more than a month.

This is only a preliminary analysis of the reports. I’m betting that even closer analysis will reveal more crazy stuff. The Bolsavik has some additional analysis HERE.

What next?

5/23 AFTERNOON UPDATE: I have gotten a look at the last three pages of Hoa’s report. the salary payment to the former staffer who filed a TRO against Reynoso is included in the report. But in another example of absurdity they list accrued expenditures to AT&T of $2,941.20, and coded the expenditure as “CVC” (civic donations). Bolsavik already pointed out a salary expenditure to Union Press, and the report also shows a payment to Little Saigon Radio of $4,920 for “CNS”(campaign consultants); a payment of $1,520 to Nguoi Viet News, Inc for “OFC” (office expenses); Nationwide Printing Services, $2,877.02 for “RAD” (radio ads); and $944 to Viet Bao Daily, Inc for “RAD” (radio ads).

All of this has been reported under the watchful eye of the campaign’s new “Professional Treasurer”.