Democrats Continue to Support Min’s Congressional Bid

Since his May 3 arrest for a DUI, State Senator Dave Min has managed to retain all of his endorsements for Congress in CA-47. (But please alert me if this changes)  Min has been contrite since his arrest and has been continuing to do positive work as a State Senator.  His social media accounts remain active with events and announcements as they were before his arrest, although the comments left behind are downright vicious and he can’t legally delete these comments from official social media accounts.

One might think there would be some endrosement defections after the release of video of Min in the back of a police car and learning his BAC was 1.5, almost twice the legal limit, but so far, Democrats remain in the Min camp including Congresswoman Katie Porter who personally recruited Min to run.

In one respect, Min is learning the same lesson as former Democrat consultant Melahat Rafiei.  You’ve been arrested, and you’re about to find out who your friends really are (and yes, she is still my friend).  Rafiei recently pleaded guilty to a count of attempted wire fraud and she awaits sentencing.

Former Congressman Harley Rouda, in endorsing Joanna Weiss for the same seat, was quoted in the OC Register on Tuesday, “If it was a Republican candidate who got a DUI, Democrats would demand exactly that. Let’s not be hypocrites – join me in calling on Dave Min to quit the race,” said Rouda.

And the OC Register’s opinion desk has been brutal with “Drunk Dave” headlines and calls for Democrats to dump Min and unite behind someone else.  I subscribe to the Register for its excellent news coverage; but the opinion desk is a joke and Im being polite in saying that.

I’m not going to mince words here, but just who does editorial writer Sal Rodriguez think he is to tell OC Democrats what to do?  This is a writer of an opinion section who thinks Democrats and unions from Teacher’s Unions to Police Unions to Hotel Worker Unions are evil, and he doesn’t even live in Orange County.  Democrats seeking endorsements from the Register would be better served spending time on voter outreach.  Most of the time, there’s a copy editor who writes headlines for someone else’s copy, but I’m told Rodriguez writes his own headlines.  And if that’s true, he can take his criticisms of Min and shove them right up his ass.

In fairness, I’m going to ask Rodriguez that every column he pens about Scott Baugh, a candidate for CA-47 in 2022 and for 2024, reference Baugh’s indictments on four felonies and 18 misdemeanors.

From the LA Times: “The indictment alleges that Baugh committed four felonies, all of them perjury or suborning perjury, in connection with the filing of campaign and personal financial disclosure documents between October 1995 and January 1996. He also was indicted for 18 misdemeanor violations of the Political Reform Act, which governs campaign spending and reporting.”

Will Rodriguez demand Baugh drop out of the race.  Nope.

As Rodriquez also writes for the Riverside Press Enterprise, which covers Congressman Ken Calvert, a former Riverside County GOP Chair, who admitted to having sex in Corona with a known prostitute in 1994.  Calvert is still in Congress.  While not arrested, the Press Telegram was able to secure police reports where Calvert’s “date” details were revealed.  Will Rodriguez refer to Congressman Calvert as “John” from now on?  How about Whoremonger?  Wll Rodriquez demand Calvert drop out of the 2024 race and will he make excuses?

From the LA Times: The city was ordered to release the report, which indicated that there had been evidence of a sex act under way, and an embarrassed Calvert responded with a prepared statement.

“My conduct that evening was inappropriate,” he said–not because it was illegal, but because “it violated the values of the person I strive to be.” He admitted that he was caught in “an extremely embarrassing situation.”

He said he did not pay for the sex. He said he “panicked and tried to drive away” when the officers confronted him, but “came to my senses” and cooperated with them.

Take it a step further, should Donald Trump secure the GOP nomination for President.  Will Rodriguez refer to Trump as “The indicted, twice impeached, and found liable sex abuser and defamer, and insurrectionist agitator” and call on Trump to step down and Republicans to rally around another candidate?  Nope.  Trump will get a free pass.  Because Rodriquez’s harshest criticisms of Republicans came after the Red Wave failed to materialize and called for OC Republicans to “get their act together.” IOKIYAAR (It’s OK if you are a Republican).

How about some basic fairness Sal?  Can we readers ask for that?  A bridge too far for you I’m certain.

Rouda brought up an interesting point…if a Republican candidate who got a DUI, Democrats would call on them to quit the race.  But past history shows this isn’t the case.

Twice, in the past 14 years, a Republican was arrested for drunk driving.  No Democrats — including this blog — called for them to leave their campaign for higher office or resign their seat.

In 2015, former Villa Park council member Deborah Pauly was arrested for a DUI while a candidate for State Assembly in then AD-68.  She issued this statement after her arrest and the gist of her message can be found in the message Min released as well.

“I take full responsibility for this lapse. This incident is a reminder to stay focused on the campaign and to maintain my high personal standards of conduct and character. This is completely uncharacteristic and I am asking for understanding, compassion, prayers and forgiveness. This difficulty shall pass and I will be stronger for it. Ultimately, persevering through this challenge will make me a better person and a better legislator.”

She stayed in the race and finished in 4th place with 14.1% behind two other Republicans and a Democrat in the primary election.  In 2019, Pauly ran for the 3rd district seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and finished in 5th place with 5.3% of the vote behind three other Republicans and a Democrat in the special election.  Rodriguez was employed by the OC Register for both those elections and never called for Pauly to drop out and never brought up her DUI.  Pauly remains active in conservative politics.  No one asked her to withdraw from her campaign.  No one.

In 2009, Westminster Council member Andy Quatch was arrested for a DUI after a spectacular accident that caused a massive power outage.  Quatch wasn’t a candidate then but his lawyer, former Assemblyman Van Tran, was running against former Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez in 2010.  Tran was recruited by Kevin McCarthy who is now Speaker of the House.  And what was projected to be a close race was actaully a blow out as Sanchez won by a comfortable margin.  The OC Register didn’t quite come out and endorse Tran but they made no mistake in which candidate they preferred writing: “Mr. Tran’s fiscally conservative leanings and name recognition as an elected official should resonate with blue-collar voters in the 47th District, but his opponent has a nearly 14-year history with the same voters.”  And this column came out well after Tran interfered with police at Quach’s DUI stop.

Christ Prevatt wrote: “Do the voters really want to reward Councilman Quach for his lawless and drunken behavior? Do the voters really want to elect to Congress Van Tran, a man willing to disrupt a police investigation of a DUI accident?” 

That’s as close as anyone came to calling for a Republican candidate to drop out of the race.

By all means, support the Register’s news coverage.  Use the opinion pages to clean up after your dog.

As a political blogger, I hear about every rumor out there from business failures, to marital infidelity, to addiction.  About 99% of the time, it’s crap backed up with no evidence except someone grinding an axe.  And while none of this excuses Min’s behavior, we should all look in the mirror and ask if a single mistake should disqualify you from pursuing your dreams.  We are human.  We make mistakes.  For me, one Min misdemeanor does not disqualify him as a candidate for any office when his leading Republican opponent has been indicted on felonies and supports MAGA policies.  And for those electeds and former electeds who have endorsed Min, ask yourself who’s going to stand by you when the going gets tough?  Everyone takes a turn.

Let the voters decide over the next nine months which candidate is best suited for CA-47.