COUNTY COUNSEL STALLS REQUEST FOR PUBLIC RECORDS RELATED TO SUPERVISOR ANDREW DO’S CONTROVERSIAL TAXPAYER FUNDED MASS MAILINGS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 4, 2016
CONTACT: STEPHEN SHIPMAN, 949-375-4577
GARDEN GROVE — County Counsel Leon Page has stalled a request for public records filed by County Supervisor Candidate Phat Bui for six weeks and might never release the records before the June 7th Primary Election.
The Public Records Act Request covers a controversial series of taxpayer funded mass mailing sent by Supervisor Andrew Do to his constituents. The mailers are now under investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission. County Auditor Controller Eric Woolery initially refused to pay for the mailers stating, “There is concern the mailers might go beyond what is legal.”
Woolery backed down under pressure from County Counsel Leon Page and County Supervisor Andrew Do.
“The County Counsel is trying to cover up the misconduct of Supervisor Do and make sure that the voters are not aware of his scheme to use public funds for campaign purposes before the June 7th election,” said Garden Grove City Councilman Phat Bui.
Bui’s Public Records Act Request includes:
• Copies of all mass mailers paid for the County of Orange that contain the name, signature, photo and likeness of County Supervisor Andrew Do
• All invoices and documents related to such mailers including copies of checks issued in payment for such mailers.
• All requests for bids and bids received from vendors who printed, mailed, designed or produced any of the mailings.
• All documents related to communications between Andrew Do, members of his staff, members of county staff, vendors, or other persons related to these mailings.
“I believe if these records are every produced by the County they will show that Supervisor Do sent more than 20 unlawful campaign style mailers to the public with a cost to taxpayers of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a misuse of public funds and the County Counsel should not be trying to cover it up,” said Councilman Bui.
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.