BREAKING: Long-Time Michelle Steel Ally Supervisor Andrew Do Charged in Bribery and Corruption Scandal

Oct

2024

PRESS RELEASE

BREAKING: Long-Time Michelle Steel Ally Supervisor Andrew Do Charged in Bribery and Corruption Scandal

Steel’s Long-Time Ties to Disgraced Politician Leaves Her Damaged Campaign Scrambling as Derek Tran Surges in CA-45 Race

Garden Grove, CA — Workers’ Rights Advocate, U.S. Army Veteran, Small Business Owner, and CA-45 congressional candidate Derek Tran issued the following statement in response to the charges brought against Orange County Supervisor and long-time Michelle Steel ally Andrew Do:

“Today’s announcement regarding Andrew Do’s years of blatant corruption represents the bare minimum of action. For years, Do abused his position to enrich himself and his allies, betraying the public’s trust. His disgusting abuse of power redirected millions in food assistance for the elderly in my community to his own pockets. And all the while, his long-time ally on the OC Board of Supervisors and beyond, Michelle Steel, has said nothing. Michelle Steel claims to represent this community, but she stands idly by as her corrupt friend literally steals food out of the mouths of our seniors.”

Michelle Steel and Andrew Do served together on the Orange County Board of Supervisors when Do committed these heinous crimes.

Derek Tran continued, “What did Michelle Steel know and when did she know it? It’s time Steel answers for the corrupt political network she has fostered and her long-standing support of the indicted Do. We need leadership that will restore honesty and transparency in government. This arrest should mark the beginning of a much-needed cleanup of Orange County politics.”

Michelle Steel’s unwavering support for Andrew Do is well-documented, with numerous public statements lauding his “leadership” and “character.” When news broke in August of an FBI investigation into the Orange County Supervisor and Michelle Steel endorser, Steel’s spokesperson declined to answer the Orange County Register’s questions about Do, including if Steel had recently been in contact with him. Do and Steel have been allies for years, raising serious concerns about her judgment. Below are just a few examples of Steel’s effusive praise for Do over the years:

Michelle Steel Praise For Andrew Do

December 2021: Steel referred to Do as a “key endorsement.” [Michelle Steel for US Congress, 12/2021]
June 2019: Steel endorsed Do, saying, “Andrew Do’s talent, energy and compassion shine through all of his accomplishments as Orange County Supervisor. He cares deeply about our families and will continue to make great strides towards focusing on our homeless, keeping us safe and standing up for policies which promote a growing economy to provide good jobs.” [Andrew Do for Orange County Supervisor via Internet Archive, 6/11/19]
June 2019: Steel endorsed Do, saying, “Andrew Do’s talent, energy and compassion shine through all of his accomplishments as Orange County Supervisor.” [Facebook, Andrew Do for Supervisor 2020, 6/11/19]
June 2019: Steel referred to Do as one “of the district’s most influential leaders.” [Michelle Steel for US Congress, 6/2019]
May 2019: Steel referred to Do as one of “Orange County’s Top Vietnamese Leaders.” [Michelle Steel for US Congress, 5/2019]
January 2015: Steel “was proudly there moments ago to see Andrew Do sworn in as her new colleague!” [Twitter, @FlashReport, 1/30/15]
2014: Do touted Steel’s endorsement in his ballot statement. [Orange County Registrar of Voters, Accessed 8/31/24]
December 2014: “‘Orange County is facing a lot of change, to keep the County moving in the right direction we are going to need leaders who will represent the people and their values. We need Andrew Do on the Board of Supervisors,’ said Steel. ‘Andrew Do has the qualifications and the drive to be a great representative. He knows the issues facing his community and he knows how to lead. Andrew has my full support.’” [Andrew Do for County Supervisor via Internet Archive, 12/11/14]

Andrew Do Praise For Michelle Steel

June 2019: “I’m so proud to have OC Supervisor Michelle Steel’s endorsement. Michelle Steel is on the ground in our communities and truly understands what Orange County communities need and expect from their leaders.” [Andrew Do for Orange County Supervisor via Internet Archive, 6/11/19]
May 2019: “Michelle Steel is a tireless representative who understands our issues, fights for our values, and delivers positive results for Orange County.” [Michelle Steel for US Congress, 5/2019]

As a reminder, Michelle Steel’s personal involvement in Orange County corruption scandals runs deep, stemming back to her tenure on the Orange County Board of Supervisors alongside Andrew Do:

Steel’s former college and endorser, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, has been called to resign after the FBI raided the home of Do’s daughter— reportedly linked to the controversial misallocation of millions of dollars in county funds to a nonprofit organization she led.
In 2022, the Orange County Grand Jury found that Michelle Steel tried to direct the sale of public land to a wealthy campaign donor and detailed her damning involvement in the effort.
In Congress, Steel voted against legislation to help America compete with Chinese manufacturing – while her husband notoriously toured known Chinese Communist Party agents around an invitation-only meeting with Republican leaders.
In 2020, while she was running for Congress and still serving on the OC Board of Supervisors, Steel was “called out” for accepting campaign contributions from a private jet company that was bidding for a long-term contract at John Wayne Airport.
In 2018, Steel voted to remove any independent oversight of Orange County Supervisors’ actions, county finances, and the Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office practices.
In 2015, Steel opposed creating an Orange County campaign finance and ethics commission, calling the effort a “symbolic gesture,” and was the sole vote against putting the initiative on a ballot.
Steel has a long, shady history of greenlighting sweetheart deals on land sales and airport contracts for private jet use beneficial to her wealthy campaign donors.

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Army Veteran Derek Tran is a DCCC Red To Blue candidate running in California’s 45th Congressional District which encompasses portions of Orange and Los Angeles Counties in Southern California. A majority-minority district, the District has the second largest AAPI population (36.97%) of any Congressional District, and the largest Vietnamese community in the country. President Biden won the current district lines by +6 points and it has a +6 point Democratic registration advantage. It includes all or part of the Cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, La Palma, Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton, as well as the unincorporated community of Rossmoor.