Huntington Beach City Council demands resignation of Supervisor Andrew Do

The Huntington Beach City Council has joined the growing number of voices calling for the resignation of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do.

Council members formally approved a resolution demanding Do’s resignation by a 6-1 vote on Tuesday night.

Do represents the county’s First Supervisorial District, which includes Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Seal Beach as well as other cities. He is involved in an ongoing controversy over millions of unaccounted for federal coronavirus relief funds.

LAist first reported that Do had voted to approve millions of dollars to nonprofit Viet America Society, which at times had his 23-year-old daughter, Rhiannon, listed as an executive. He reportedly did not disclose the family connection.

On Aug. 15, county officials filed a lawsuit against Viet America Society, accusing executives of using taxpayer money to fund their own back accounts. A week later, the FBI searched the homes of Do and his daughter.

Council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton brought forward the agenda item Tuesday, joined by Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark and council members Tony Strickland and Casey McKeon as yes votes. Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns was the lone dissenter.

“By taking a public stand against corruption, we send a clear message that Huntington Beach will not tolerate breaches of public trust,” Moser said. “Our community deserves better, and it’s our duty to fight for that standard.”

“The expectation is that public servants avoid the appearance of impropriety,” Bolton said. “That line has already been crossed.”

Strickland said he didn’t have enough information but still believed that Do should resign.

“Here in America, we’re innocent until proven guilty,” Strickland said. “Based on what I read, he should resign, but at the same time I haven’t heard any of the major information. I would think that the Board of Supervisors have more information than we do, and they haven’t moved forward on this.”

He still ended up voting with his colleagues, with Burns as the only holdout.

“In law enforcement, of which I was for 30 years, evidence is very crucial,” Burns said. “Right now, I don’t have the evidence ... no arrest has been made.”

Do’s chief of staff, Chris Wangsaporn, declined comment Wednesday but said he’d forward a request for comment to Do, who did not immediately respond.

Do did not attend last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting. His fellow supervisors Katrina Foley and Vicente Sarmiento have also called for his resignation. So have state Sen. Janet Nguyen and Cypress City Councilwoman Frances Marquez — the two candidates running for his seat in November, as he terms out in December.