The Hinky Hoa Campaign
Posted by: Jubal | 04/21/2008 1:29 PM
Hoa Van Tran is the only Democrat running in the 1st Supervisor District -- the only supervisor district with a Democratic registration majjority. He raised just shy of $27,000 by March 17, and put another $20,000 of his own dinero into the race. He's a Vietnamese-American military veteran in a central OC district where Democrats admit they need to become competitive among Vietnamese voters.So why aren't Democrats rallying around Hoa? True, the OC Young Democrats have endorsed Hoa, and Democratic blogger Sean Mill has urged his partisan compatriots to support Hoa. But otherwise, there isn't the movement in that direction you'd expect when the Democrats have publicly acknowledged the necessity of fielding Vietnamese candidates. Why haven't Rep. Loretta Sanchez, state Sen. Lou Correa (whose brother-in-law is running Hoa's campaign) or Assemblyman Jose Solorio endorsed Hoa? There are even some local elected Democrats supporting the GOP incumbent, Sup. Janet Nguyen.
I've spoken with multiple sources during the last couple of weeks, and it's pretty clear this hesitancy, to a significant extent, stems from the Hoa Van Tran campaign itself.
Let's start with Hoa's campaign reporting. Look at Schedule E (Payments Made) of his report, covering the period Jan. 1 through March 17. Notice anything missing--like payments to consultants or staff or vendors?
Edgardo Reynoso started at the beginning of March, but Hoa's campaign discloses no payments to him. Another campaign worker started in mid-February, but Hoa's campaign hasn't disclosed those payments either. The amount owed for campaign signs ordered and delivered prior to the March 17 deadline is not reported.
Actually, there are only four items on Hoa's Schedule E, one of which is Le's Printing. In Democratic politics, it's considered important to hire unionized vendors. For example, Democratic party conventions only use hotels where the employees are unionized. Not only is Le's Printing is not a union shop, but it printed campaign business cards for Hoa before he filed to run.
Hoa hasn't even reported payments to the Registrar of Voters for his filing fee and candidate statement.
Although Hoa's campaign is only a couple of months old, it's already hemorrhaging staff. The political director quit. One field worker called it quits in March because he wasn't getting paid. Another staffer has also just hit the silk, while another staffer continues to hang on despite the lack of payment.
The common denominator in these troubles seems to be campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso.
Reynoso had previously been field director for his brother-in-law Lou Correa's state senate campaigns, and then transitioned over to the Democratic Party of Orange County following Lou's election. He was only there a few months and departed following the 1st Supervisor District special election, and is no longer allowed to step foot in DPOC headquarters.
According to multiple sources, Reynoso created a climate within the campaign directly responsible for the staff exodus, and has fired staff who haven't been driven out by the hostile environment. I visited the Hoa headquarters at the beginning of the month, and among the workers present were some very pleasant, elderly Vietnamese phone bankers, diligently calling voters. Reynoso fired them about 10 days ago, and they have as yet not been paid.
In fact, every staffer present at the headquarters when I visited has since either quit or been fired.
Not that Reynoso has been unable to recruit field staff --- but there's concern about the type of field staff he's recruiting. According to sources in a position to know, Edgardo has recruited field staff who are allegedly members of the KPC (Krazy Proud Criminals) street gang. No wonder there have been complaints of a hostile working environment.It's crystal clear from the conversations I have had during this past month that not only is Edgardo Reynoso not well-liked in OC Democratic circles, but his presence at the center of Hoa's campaign inhibits Hoa's ability to bring Democratic movers-and-shakers on board.
So while it is easy to point the finger at Reynoso, ultimately it raises questions about Hoa's judgment. If you are the Democratic candidate for Supervisor, why entrust the management of your campaign to someone who has so alienated local Democrats that he is barred from the DPOC offices? If you're the sole Democrat running for supervisor in a (marginally) Democratic district, at some point you've got to wonder why no partisan Democratic electeds will endorse you -- including your campaign manager's brother-in-law. Surely, Hoa must wonder why his campaign staff has undergone such extraordinary turn-over in such a short period of time? It can't be dismissed as "disloyalty" a la The Caine Mutiny.
On the natural, Hoa Van Tran faced a tall mountain to climb if he hoped to edge out Garden Grove Councilwoman Dina Nguyen and make it into a run-off with to Sup. Janet Nguyen. To climb that mountain, Hoa needs campaign staff that meshes and improves with time -- not staff who are jumping overboard or being forced to walk the plank due to a hostile environment and lack of payment.
Either Hoa Van Tran is blind to what is happening to his campaign operation, or he sees it but is unwilling to act -- neither of which speak well of his political judgment.
UPDATE: A little more info on the unreported printing costs. The Hoa campaign ordered $2936.19 worth of signs from Nationwide Printing Services of Santa Ana back in February. Hoa's campaign paid Nationwide $2,500 on March 18 -- the day after the campaign report period closed, leaving a still-unpaid balance of $436.19.
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1st Supe District Watch
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Here is my answer for Tran Van Hoa matters:
Hoa never gets involve in the Vietnamese community's politic, but now for Supervisor's seat.
He is a great NATO (No Action, Talk Only) officer in Vietnamese community and a DINO (Democratic In Name Only).
That are the reasons that all Demoratic elected officials don't want to stand near him.
C'on, people.
In my opinion this candidate has only one role here: to force a run-off election in November. Without a third candidate this election is over in June.
My only question is whether they can deflect enough votes from going to Janet to force that run-off. It's possible, but not likely.
"Not only is Le's Printing is not a union shop, but it printed campaign business cards for Hoa before he filed to run."
Matt,
I have one of Hoa's business cards and it indeed contains a union "button" on it which indicates that it was printed in a union shop.
As far as the other allegations posted here I will be looking into all of them and will likely have answers which I will post over at the LiberalOC.
In the interim I will hold off any judgement regarding the campaign.
Sean,
I'm not sure what to say in response except that i called Le's Printing and asked if their workers were unionized and was told "no".
I have one of Hoa's business cards and it indeed contains a union "button" on it which indicates that it was printed in a union shop.
You crack me up, Sean.
Hoa's campaign lies on it's campaign reports and stiffs staff for money.
There's noooo way they'd lie and tell the printer to just stick a union button on the business cards. is there?
Jubal,
All I know is that the business card that Hoa personally gave to me included a union button on it. I doubt very seriously that a non-union shop would be putting union button's on their printing.
Let me remind everyone that these are merely allegations based on claims from digruntled former employees. I will do my best to get to the bottom of this and post my findings.
Until then I will hold off judgement and others should do the same.
"are merely allegations based on claims from digruntled former employees."
Oh boy, I can already see the Sean Mill "nothing to see here" spin coming.
Sean wants everyone to "hold off judgment" and then he judges the whistleblowers to be "disgruntled."
Nice Try,
Do you have any facts or documentation that you can offer? Or can we just expect blustery rants without much substance from you? So far it appears to be the latter.
"There are even some local elected Democrats supporting the GOP incumbent, Sup. Janet Nguyen."
Jubal can you list which elected Democratic Incumbants are supporting Janet Nguyen and any information you may have as to why they are?
Haha!
You're the one already labeling them "disgruntled former employees" -- that's how corporate hacks try to dismiss whisleblowers.
And that's while you're telling everyone to "withhold judgment."
Then again, if I were getting stiffed by my employeer, I'd be disgruntled, too.
Democrat Mark Rosen, for one, is supporting Janet.
Democrat Mark Rosen worked with Janet on the Garden Grove City Council and thought she did a remarkable job there and that's why he's supporting her...on the merits of her work.
Sean,
What's the NUMBER on the union buy you see on Hoa's card.
Printers Union rules say it should be clearly visible.
You can easily check the number online to see who it belongs to (Nationwide, for example, uses #355).
I can't find Le in the latest Union Printer directory.
Anon.5:12, Democrat Rosen agrees with Janet's local social welfare expansion programs.
While I believe the bug question is a diversion from the more serious charges here is the answer: Both of you are right. Hoa initially had non union cards printed when he first started (a naive move from someone who is new to the game) Eventually someone caught the mistake and subsequent cards were union printed.
However, to get bogged down in this side discussion is a waste of time as the more serious charges in this blog ought to be discussed.
"Cra Republican" aka Tim Whitacre, you back Democrats for local office too so why are you complaing? Oh that's right... you're Tim Whitacre.
Well in that case, we should all listen to you more often and back more Democrats for local office.
Umm, Timmy,
If it is the case that you have unveiled CRA Rep's identity, and that's a big if, can you defend your charge that he supports democrats? Please share the details with us. I find the charge incredibly hard to believe.
Slice, Tim supported Tino Rivera who was a Democrat running for Santa Ana City Council in 2006. In fact, he apart of his host committee for a fundraiser. He also had a Jennifer Villasenor sign in his lawn then too and she was a Democrat. We have pictures.
I'm certainly surprised, but thanks for the info.
Not a problem, Slice
The Guru, it doesn't shock me one bit.
Amazing...I noted that last night Tim Whitacer not only spoke against the endorsement of Janet Nguyen, he voted NO also. So that proves she's a good Republican according to these previous comments 8-)
You guys should be shamed! Hoa has lot support in vietnamese community and will win at least third of the vote and most of latino vote too. he will have support of big politicians soon too. you all will see. they have sent their staff to help and support Hoa already too. Hoa for supervisor.
Hoa for leader of the Krazy Proud Criminals son!
The environment created in that campaign is due to Edgardo. I had work with him before and his attitude scares many volunteers and workers away. I will recommend that you do a complete background check on the past campaigns he has work in (there is a lot dirt).
oops sorry about the last posting what I meant to say is
Jubal the environment created in that campaign is due to Edgardo. I had work with him before and his attitude scares many volunteers and workers away. I will recommend that you do a complete background check on the past campaigns he has work in (there is a lot dirt).