OC supervisors advocate for increased transparency and a cultural shift in audit discussions after recent scandal involving Andrew Do.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors convened on March 24 to address crucial concerns surrounding transparency and ethical governance following a county-commissioned audit that highlighted the inappropriate practices of former Supervisor Andrew Do and his chief of staff, Chris Wangsaporn. The audit detailed how Do leveraged his authority to divert contracts and funds with minimal oversight, fostering an environment where dissent among county employees was routinely suppressed.
The audit, conducted by the Houston-based firm Weaver, revealed a troubling culture within Do’s administration, wherein staff who raised concerns about contract allocations faced bullying and intimidation. This toxic environment prioritized unquestioned loyalty over accountability, thereby compromising the integrity of the procurement process for District 1 contracts. Specifically, the audit noted that contracts were unjustly awarded to entities linked to Do, including businesses that had made political contributions to him shortly before receiving county contracts.
In 2024, Andrew Do pleaded guilty to charges linked to a bribery scheme involving 0,000 in kickbacks for steering million in pandemic relief funds toward charities he was associated with, alleging that many contracts went unfulfilled. Currently serving a five-year federal prison sentence, Do’s actions have raised alarms about systemic issues within county governance.
Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento emphasized that Orange County is now at a pivotal moment to rectify the culture of intimidation that has historically hindered employee integrity and reporting of misconduct. He indicated that while complete eradication of corrupt practices may be unrealistic, significant improvements can be made to ensure that undue influence does not permeate decision-making processes. Sarmiento proposed enhancing the powers of the ethics officer and re-evaluating the ethics commission, which he criticized as lacking efficacy.
Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley advocated for the establishment of a comprehensive transparency portal on the county’s website to facilitate public access to financial documents across all board offices. Foley indicated that while many of the auditors’ recommendations are already in place, further exploration of remaining strategies is essential to bolster accountability. Her recognition of the need for effective implementation of new protocols reflects a commitment to establishing trust in county governance.
The board’s collaboration with Weaver commenced in response to Do’s guilty plea and entails a multi-phase review of 1,500 county contracts. The initial phase examined a selection of 145 high-priority contracts that collectively amount to 6 million in taxpayer funds. As Phase Two unfolds, First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen has called for detailed scrutiny of specific contracts, such as those related to District 1-sponsored Tet and Moon Festivals, to assess billing practices and costs.
With the audit expected to encompass a total of approximately .2 billion in spending by the completion of its fourth phase, the board is determined not to treat findings merely as formalities. The investigation is poised to facilitate meaningful reform and restore public confidence in the ethical standards of Orange County’s governance, reflecting a broader commitment to accountability in public service.
