Complaint Filed With District Attorney Against Hoa Van Tran...By Me
Posted by: Jubal | 05/08/2008 4:19 PM
For more than two weeks, OC Blog and TheLiberalOC.com have been prodding the Hoa Van Tran for Supervisor campaign to stop evading the county's campaign finance laws, come clean and fixed their laughably incomplete campaign report. Today, Chris Prevatt revealed the details in their greatest detail to date.
For more than two weeks, the Hoa's campaign has ignored this simple request to comply with campaign laws. So it's become painfully obvious the only remaining remedy is to file a complaint and request for investigation with the District Attorney's office.
So earlier this afternoon, I faxed and e-mailed the following letter to Deputy District Attorney Mike Lubinski in the Special Prosecutions Unit:
For more than two weeks, the Hoa's campaign has ignored this simple request to comply with campaign laws. So it's become painfully obvious the only remaining remedy is to file a complaint and request for investigation with the District Attorney's office.
So earlier this afternoon, I faxed and e-mailed the following letter to Deputy District Attorney Mike Lubinski in the Special Prosecutions Unit:
May 8, 2008
Mr. Mike Lubinski
Special Prosecutions
Orange County District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive
Santa Ana, CA
Dear Mr. Lubinski:
Pursuant to Section 1-6-16(c) of the Orange County Campaign Reform Ordinance, hereafter referred to as TIN CUP, I request the District Attorney's office commence an investigation into the Hoa Van Tran for Supervisor campaign for multiple violations of the TIN CUP ordinance.
As detailed on the RedCounty.com and TheLiberalOC.com blogs, there are multiple verifiable instances of the Hoa Van tran campaign failing to report expenditures that fell within the January 1, 2008 through March 17, 2008 reporting period.
Some examples:
* A $1,430.42 payment to the Orange County Registrar or Voters (ROV) for Hoa's candidate filing fee.
* A $5,965 payment to the ROV for Hoa's candidate statement fee.
* A $500 payment to a campaign staff member via a campaign check dated March 8, 20008.
* A $51.70 reimbursement payment to a campaign staffer via a campaign check dated March 15, 2008.
Furthermore, the Hoa Van Tran campaign failed to report $2936.19 worth of signs from Nationwide Printing Services as an Accrued Expense (Unpaid Bills) on Schedule F of his Jan. 1 - March 17, 2008 campaign report.
These are only the failures to report of which we are, to date, aware. After speaking with individuals previously involved in the Hoa Van Tran campaign, I have little doubt these omissions were deliberate.
Both the RedCounty.com and TheLiberalOC.com blogs have been, on a daily basis, calling the attention of the public and Hoa Van Tran's campaign to the various instances of Hoa's failure to comply with TIN CUP. Our hope was to prod the Hoa campaign into complying with TIN CUP and fully disclosing its campaign expenditures. Both blogs are widely read in Orange County political circles, and there is no doubt the Hoa Van Tran was fully aware of every story posted on either blog.
Unfortunately, the Hoa Van Tran campaign has ignored the appeals to comply with TIN CUP. Thus, the reason I am filing this complaint and request for investigation.
Hoa Van Tran is a candidate for Supervisor in the 1st District. the election is June 3, 2008, so time is of the essence in commencing an investigation.
I have copies of the $500 and $51.70 checks, for your reference. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Matthew Cunningham
Ideally, Hoa Van Tran and his campaign manager Edgardo Reynoso would stop playing games and comply with the law. Lord knows, they've been given plenty of opportunity. I honestly believed public pressure would be enough incentive for them to start complying, but have come to the conclusion they think they can just blow off compliance and hide expenditures without consequence.
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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...
Mat can you reveal how you acquired copies of the Checks you listed above?
He already answered this question. His letter says, "After speaking with individuals previously involved in the Hoa Van Tran campaign, I have little doubt these omissions were deliberate."
By bet is that the person the checks were made out to is no longer associated with the campaign and has provided them. I don't think the source needs to be named here because where he got them is less relevant than the fact that he has them. I suspect Matt would be more than willing to tell the DA's office about his source (but maybe he should address that himself).
Who should we send out to investigate this ?- The gang unit ?