The three major players in the continuous, 24/7 protests in front of the offices of Nguoi Viet Daily News held a press conference yesterday. And they raised thousands to pay their lawyer.
From left to right above are Trong Doan, Cung The Tran, Ky Ngo, the three protesters who had been sued by Nguoi Viet. L.A. Times columnist Dana Parsons wrote about the protest and the lawsuit here.
Previously, Nguoi Viet had sought a temporary restraining order but the court rejected it, even though none of the defendants showed up.
While unusual, that is not the end of the litigation and Nguoi Viet’s attorney has given notice of hearing for a motion for a preliminary injunction on April 8.
That means the three named defendants – Ngo, Doan and Tran - needed a lawyer. And they found one, Geoffrey Lyon of Lyon Law PC in Long Beach, who had represented Ky Ngo in the past.
Ngo, Doan, and Tran, and their supporters, have been asking for donations to a legal defense fund. Lyon Law requires a $15k deposit, and as of Thursday morning, they collected $3,235.
In addition, a group of participants in an online forum on Paltalk gave $2,000. Another group of supporters donated $600. That left the three about $10k short.
The star of the show in his trademark jacket with the South Vietnamese flag on the right and U.S. flag on the left.
Yesterday, they gave a press conference at another newspaper’s office just half a block from Nguoi Viet. The purpose appeared to be two-fold. One, to ask for money. Two, to discuss newly emerged photos of Nguoi Viet’s late publisher Yen Do. The pictures show Do in a 1998 secret meeting with the Vietnamese government’s then-vice premier, now prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
The Bolsavik wasn’t there. As a person whose actions played a part in the drama, the Bolsavik couldn’t show up. You know the rule: Report the news, don’t become it. So he asked a friend to take the photos shown here.
The presser was webcast live on a number of sites, including SBTN-TV’s web page and on Paltalk.
Content-wise, let’s just say it probably didn’t go the way Ngo, Doan and Tran planned it.
Instead of a chance to preach to the choir about the evils of Nguoi Viet, Ky Ngo had to answer a question about the provenance of the photographs. It was supposedly a secret meeting between Yen Do and the communists. And Do is no longer around, so who gave Ngo the photo?
Good question, so Ngo got combative, testy and mean. And when he wasn’t combative, testy and mean, he was whiny. All in all not what you would consider appropriate fundraising behavior.
But raise funds they did. A dentist came up and gave them a whopping $8,000.
Geoff Lyon (above, left) was there. A number of people came up to the attorney and gave the money directly to him.
A twenty here, a hundred there, pretty soon we’re talking serious money.
Now, let’s say Nguoi Viet obtains an injunction against Ngo, Doan, and Tran. Interesting question: Will others take their place? Will the dentist shell out another $8,000 for those new protesters too?
In Little Saigon, anything is possible.
This young man calls himself Tran Gia Quang Ang, but that’s probably just his nick on Paltalk and probably not his real name.
He has a laptop with webcam and internet connection, and he has been going around webcasting a lot of community events live. Very tech savvy person.
33 years later, we all known Ngo Ky is homeless, jobless, skill-less the worst thing is or are he have no brian to survive in this world , in order for him to be reconiz in this community, he wear colorfull shirt indicate himself as a real American vietnamese or Vietnamese American, after all , he’s just stupid Vietnamese that I Wish i did not known him , he should be ashame of himself, and he makes the vietnamese Community look bad,,, HE IS NOT REP FOR ME OR MY FAMILY , HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL TO LERN MORE ABOUT FREEDOOM OF SPEACH ,,,,,,,,, SHAME ON YOU NGO KY !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ngo Ky had been kissing Rep. Dornan’s butt for quite some time, I mean not only kissing, wiping and all, and then suddenly Dornan disappear and left Ngo Ky homeless and worthless and whatever less = nill, for he didn’t have much to start with .
Mine I feel disgusted when I see his face .
I agree with you, so I made copy to repeat the same feeling;
33 years later, we all known Ngo Ky is homeless, jobless, skill-less the worst thing is or are he have no brian to survive in this world , in order for him to be reconiz in this community, he wear colorfull shirt indicate himself as a real American vietnamese or Vietnamese American, after all , he’s just stupid Vietnamese that I Wish i did not known him , he should be ashame of himself, and he makes the vietnamese Community look bad,,, HE IS NOT REP FOR ME OR MY FAMILY , HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEDOOM OF SPEACH ,,,,,,,,, SHAME ON YOU NGO KY !!!!!!!.
Dear Ngo Ky; please don’t say anything about represent for Vietnamese American Community. We very ashame about you !!!.
We don’t know what is inside of this poor man’s mind but we should pray for Ngo Ky’s healing.