A press release from Phay Bui, BoS District 1 candidate:
GARDEN GROVE – Phat Bui, Garden Grove City Councilmember and candidate for the for the Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1, filed a complaint for violation of the California General Code Section 82025 against incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do for misusing funds solicited from a Buddhist Temple and private companies which were earmarked for a “Mile Square Park Public Art/Historic Project.”
The complaint states:
“My opponent, 1st District incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do, has committed several violations of California Government Code 82025 governing payments made at the behest of Supervisor Do by private parties and non-profit organizations to his Deputy Chief of Staff and political campaign worker Tam “Nick” Lecong and organizations controlled by Mr. Lecong.
There is no evidence that these and other behested payments by Supervisor Do meet the exemption from political contributions under Government Code 82025 and should therefore be considered unreported political contributions to Supervisor Do in excess of Orange County contribution limits.”
The disclosure form lists six donors who contributed a total of $60,490. Two of the largest payments totaling $35,490 were made by the Van Hanh Assembly DBA Chua Lien HOA Buddhist Temple. These payments were made directly to Tam Lecong.
The remaining payments were made to entities called: Hoang SA Tuong SA Foundation, Paracel & Pratly Foundation, & Paracel & Pratly Hoang SA Tuong SA Foundation. These entities are not on the IRS list of organizations which are registered as a non-profit 501 (c)(3).
The City of Garden Grove business license #310958 lists the address of these entities as 8862 Garden Grove Blvd., #205. This office is also used by VietLink Radio, another business owned by Tam Lecong.
Mr. Lecong lists payments on his 2015 Form 700 Statement of Economic Interest from the Buddhist Temple as income to T+T Consulting and Translation, a company he owns.
“There has never been an accounting of these funds or how they were spent. This is typical of how Supervisor Andrew Do conducts public business. He abuses the power of his office to solicit charitable contributions from well-meaning people, then gives the money to his staff to use for political purposes. I am asking the FPPC to investigate and hold him accountable,” Said Phat Bui.
Andrew Do is currently under investigation by the FPPC for using taxpayer funds to send out illegal “campaign style” mass mailings. That investigation was started by a complaint from Councilman Bui.
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About Phat Bui
In 2014, Phat Bui was elected to the Garden Grove City Council, where he has been a leader in efforts to reform City government. Phat built a successful business that provides software solutions to government agencies and Fortune 500 corporations. Phat Bui’s is an American story. His family escaped from communist tyranny in Vietnam. One of eight children, Pat arrived in America by boat, determined to build a better life.