TheLiberalOC received the below press release from the AD-68 assembly campaign of Irvine Council Member Melissa Fox. She called out her opponent, State Rep. Steven Choi for flip flopping on his vote to restore $24.5 million in funds for a Veteran’s Cemetery in Orange County.
The message from the Fox campaign is spot on; but its the wrong person delivering the message:
MELISSA FOX CALLS OUT STEVEN CHOI FOR DECEITFUL CLAIMS REGARDING HIS ROLE IN STATE FUNDING FOR VETERANS
Assemblyman Steven Choi Touts Veterans Cemetery Funding That He Voted Against
IRVINE, CA – Today, Irvine Councilmember Melissa Fox, who is challenging Steven Choi to represent the 68th Assembly District in the California Assembly, released the following statement calling out Steven Choi’s lack of leadership on veterans issues after his deceitful and hypocritical email taking credit for funding provided to the Orange County Veterans Cemetery when he was in fact the sole vote in the Assembly against the funding.
In a recent email to constituents, Choi wrote that the revised California budget for 2020-21 was passed and boasted that “our efforts to protect funding for Veterans were successful!”
In fact, Choi voted against the budget that contained these funds for veterans.
Choi also boasted that “The Southern California Veteran Cemetery Master Development Fund will keep its $24.5 million in funding.”
In fact, Choi was the only member of the California Assembly to vote against the $24.5 million in state funding for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery (AB 368).
On May 23, 2019, the Assembly voted 67-1 in support of AB 368, providing $24.5 million in state funding for a veterans cemetery located in Orange County on the grounds of the former El Toro Marine Air Station. As reported at the time, “the only dissenting vote was from Assemblymember Steven Choi.”
Later, Choi changed his vote to “Absent/Abstain.” He subsequently changed his vote again, this time to “concur,” at the very last minute, only one day before the legislation was presented to be signed by the governor.
“Claiming credit for funding for veterans that he opposed is, at best, deceitful and hypocritical,” Melissa Fox said. “I have been fighting for a veterans cemetery in Orange County for many years. When we needed his support, Choi voted ‘No’.”
Choi was also the only member of the Orange County delegation in the Assembly, including both Republicans and Democrats, who refused to sign a letter to the City of Irvine pledging to allocate the funds necessary for the decontamination and construction of a veterans cemetery at the former El Toro Marine Air Station.
“Our veterans deserve to be treated with honor and dignity long after they have served our country,” Melissa Fox said. “That is why I am appalled that Assemblymember Steven Choi would not only vote against allowing the Southern California Veteran Cemetery Master Development Fund to keep its $24.5 million in funding, but then attempt to claim this funding as his own accomplishment. This funding was secured despite his opposition, not because of his support.”
“Orange County veterans deserve a leader who is committed to fighting for them. We all deserve representatives in the Assembly who tell the truth about their record. The OC Register described me as ‘an incredible advocate for veterans’ due to my commitment to veterans’ issues, and I will continue to be a powerful advocate for veterans in Sacramento.”
Since launching her campaign, Fox has earned an impressive array of endorsements, including California Professional Firefighters, the California Teachers Association (CTA), the California Nurses Association (CNA), NARAL Pro-Choice California, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Congresswoman Katie Porter, California Governor Gavin Newsom, California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, California State Controller Betty Yee, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Speaker Pro Tem Toni Atkins, and Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris.
For more information, please visit www.votemelissafox.com
Choi’s term on the Assembly is notable for his support of President Trump and being on the wrong side of just about every issue; he’s someone who places his party before his office. And he does so with every single vote.
The problem with Fox calling out Choi is that Fox is the person who cast a vote to consider the land swap of the ARDA site that she now advocated for with a piece of land owned by Five Point. Irvine was 10 days away from beginning demolition and had secured $30 million in funding from State Rep Sharon Quirk-Silva. The swap was promoted hard by the DPOC and the OC GOP. Fox led efforts to try and defeat the referendum effort of Ed Pope and Larry Agran and even claimed to have been assaulted by a paid signature gatherer who took away her “don’t sign the petition” sign at a shopping center.
No one is disputing her concern and advocacy for Veteran’s or a Veteran’s cemetery. But she isn’t the person to call Choi out on this issue (and there are many other things to call Choi out on).
Veterans have been waiting and Fox’s efforts had added years to the wait. Let’s hear about her plans to find more state and federal funding to build a final resting place for Veterans in Irvine. That’s what voters need to know.
