Orange County Supervisors Request DOJ Review of Andrew Do's Plea Deal

The Orange County Board of Supervisors has formally requested that the U.S. Department of Justice and federal prosecutors review and potentially toughen the plea deal for former Supervisor Andrew Do, who admitted to steering over $10 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to a nonprofit linked to his daughter in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes. Do, who pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit bribery and faces up to five years in prison, is scheduled for sentencing in June. Supervisors argue the sentence is too lenient given the scope of the corruption and allege Do also improperly accessed privileged information related to the case after resigning. The resolution, passed 4-1, reflects concerns from both the board and the public that the plea deal does not adequately address the severity of Do’s actions, especially compared to other similar political corruption cases. Do’s attorney criticized the board’s move as a political attempt to influence a federal matter, while federal prosecutors have declined to comment on the request. The board’s action follows contentious debate and calls for the DOJ to move swiftly in investigating others involved in the scheme.