Under accusations that he and his trenchmen are using strong-arm tactics to silence critics in the Vietnamese-American community, Assemblyman Van Tran (pictured at the presser, with Andy Quach) yesterday held a press conference to explain his group’s side of the story. And, for good measure, he put up a guy to accuse Janet Nguyen, all over again, of being a communist.
This is a cannibalistic dispute between factions within the right wing of the Viets. Non-right-wingers are sitting this one out, watching from the sidelines, probably all smug.
Front and center butting heads with Van Tran is Do Son, a late night radio personality who is one of a longish list right-wingers who once were firmly behind Tran when he was on the Garden Grove City Council and during his first run for the Assembly, but who have since broken with him.
During the June primary elections, Do Son was firmly on Janet Nguyen’s side, belittling the candidacy of Dina Nguyen any time he got.
After the election, Do Son was also among the first to speak out in favor of the OC GOP against accusations by Van Tran’s representative Hung Phuong Nguyen. Nguyen had blamed Dina’s defeat on the OCGOP’s racism, accusing the latter of sabotaging the Vietnamese-American political structure built up by Tran, and instead propped up the “independent” Janet Nguyen that they could allegedly control better. (Doesn’t make any sense, but that’s what Hung said here and here – in Vietnamese.)
Do Son’s berating didn’t make Hung Phuong Nguyen very happy, so shortly after the elections, Nguyen went to the radio station’s owner and bought out Do Son’s air time contract, allegedly paying twice the going rate. One crazed right-winger was thus replaced by another – this one frequently featuring Mr. Protest-Against-A-Red-Belt-Buckle Trung Nguyen, and attack-dog Joseph Dovinh, who’s running for both the Midway City Sanitary District and the Coast Community College District.
Just last week, Do Son held his own press conference, reciting a litany of what he considered abuses by Van Tran. Read Chris Prevatt‘s report here. One thing Do Son said at his press conference that Prevatt didn’t report, was that he showed a $5,000 payment from Van Tran to Hung Nguyen, which Do Son said was used to force him out.
OK, fine, nothing wrong with that. But Hung Phuong Nguyen, again displaying a penchant to talk first and think later, went on the radio and said something along the line that – “I got that money months before the air time buyout, so that couldn’t be what it’s for.” The weak denial only made people more suspicious that hmm, maybe there is something wrong with that.
So, anyway, Do Son lost his air time, but he didn’t keep silent for long. Shortly after the City of Westminster voted down the bridge across Bolsa Avenue, Do Son went on other people’s radio program and joined in a veritable chorus of right-wingers accusing the Trannies of sabotaging the “Freedom Bridge,” which to them would have represented the pride of the Vietnamese-American community.
That accusation apparently sticks, and probably caused some real political effects felt by Van Tran, which led him to write a cease-and-desist letter to the station owner of these other radio programs too, trying to get them to rein in Do Son. (Apparently, in addition to Do Son, other cease-and-desist letters were sent out targetting others, including VNCR radio – an corporation with common ownership with Nguoi Viet Daily News – and Vo Cu Long, who frequently invites Ky Ngo the protestor.)
Which led to Do Son’s press conference last week.
Which led to yesterday’s press conference by the assemblyman.
In the press conference, Van Tran disputed the claim that he’s trying to silence his critics. In Tran’s view, Do Son went beyond criticism into the realm of defamation and that’s what Tran was trying to stop. A parade of characters from the Committee Against Resolution 36 (in Vietnamese: Lien Uy Ban Chong Nghi Quyet 36, named after a document from the Communist Party of Vietnam), the group led by Hung Nguyen, accused Do Son of defaming them.
Other Trannies present at the press conference also defended their opposition to the Bolsa bridge. And, for good measure, Van Tran had another Hung Nguyen (pictured, with, in the back, Hung Phuong Nguyen, Trung Nguyen and Dina Nguyen — none of whom are related) repeat the June election accusations that Janet Nguyen is a commie.
How is Janet Nguyen being a communist, even if true, relevant to the topic of the press conference, is a little hard to follow. But it sounds something along the line of — Van didn’t sabotage the bridge, Van’s troubles came from the real communist Janet Nguyen — something like that.
Joseph Dovinh (who used to write for the protest-incurring Viet Weekly, specializing in the paranormal such as haunted houses, exorcism, feng shui) took the podium to attack Do Son and saying that Do Son deserved to be have complaints filed against him with the station owner.
But then Dovinh had been the one trading barbs (and worse) with Do Son across the radio waves. And that’s when he got caught with his hands in the jar.
Whose hand shot up but his own editor at Viet Weekly, Etcetera. So Etcetera asked Joseph Dovinh: “Since you’re accusing Do Son of defamation, are you saying you’re not defaming him?”
Moment of silence.
Then Dovinh said, “Well, if I’m defaming him, he can complain about me to the station owner too.”
I seek to monopolize power, influence and control in the Vietnamese community. Only I can attack people. When others attack me, I will sue them, or send my attack dogs (and I have a lot of them; Committee Against 36, Viet Bao newspaper, Nguyen Phuong Hung, Bui Manh Cuong and all of his pseudonyms, Ngo Ky, Dovinh, Lan, Trung, vv) after them.
Nobody can call me a communist, but I can label anyone who attacks me a communist at my discretion.
October 31st, 2008 at 8:27 am:
Whoever you are attacking my owner, stop or Tomahawk and Jubal will attack you on redcounty.com. Just ask Andrew Do how we keep kicking the living crap out of him day in and day out on the web blog. He can vouch for our handy work. Don’t mess with Van Tran.
Dear Bolsavik,
More like they went on Offense than defense. Do Son is a moron who likes to drink every night. Everyone knows that, but you Bolsavik. The Nguoi Viet Daily, the same newspaper that fired your ass last year, has a nice write up this morning. I read it this morning. It was great covwerage.
Everyone also knows that VNCR radio and VOV aka Do Son, are being paid by Janet Nguyen, Andrew Do and Nick Le Cong. They probably have a sleeping sofa in there since they are over there so often. Do you too, Bolsavik?
Another wasted attempt to disfranchise our political might under Assemblyman Van Tran’s great leadership!
Remember this was how our Saigon was fallen to enemy’s hands and it’s pathetic to watch some reminents of commie fertilizer-formed brain scraps are pimping/attacking against our good leaders again….. here in Little Saigon.
how embarrassing!
Ah, the sleeping sofa conspiracy…That explains everything including the murder of JFK and Roswell. Everyone is conspiring but me, Tomahawk, CRA Republican, CALREPUBLICAN, SOMEDUDEINANAHEIM, and others. I am not on someone’s payroll but on welfare just to contribute to the blogsphere.
Jung Kim’s got it right, great historian. Saigon fell but not Vietnam; that’s why Van Tran still flies the South Vietnamese flag.
Maybe that is where JB and Van Tran live in their simulacrum with the flag flying high.
Notice to the Original Pancake Face and his Band of Freaks and Clowns:
The Ringling Bros. Circus wants y’all back. No more escapin’, ya hear?
You fly the flag too Bolsa Cute Girl?
Andrew, ask Janet if she can send you a new pair of wheels for your wheeling and dealing sleeping sofa.
Jung Kim or Bolsa Cute Girl? Which gender are you assuming now?
Jung Kim, I gave you a freebie yesterday (Prop 8); thank me, man.
What?
Jung Kim/Tomahawk/Pancake Face would love to be me or be with me, but I’m too smart and pretty.
Bolsa Poopie Girl, I am not Tomahawk!
I will give you a little hint….. I used to be Janet’s EX in the college years ask Janet who I am. She remembers me well.
Mr. Bolsavik:
Your reporting has gotten so bad lately that it simply is not credible any more. I feel compelled to take the time to set the record straight, if you would be so kind as to give me the same courtesy.
First of all, I did write for Viet Weekly but did not “specialize in the paranormal such as haunted houses, exorcism, feng shui” as you claim. Most of those articles were written by other staff/writer of Viet Weekly, I gave them the ideas. I also gave Viet Weekly their name, and laid out some basic principles to help found the newspaper. You were an investor early on too, so, please don’t try to confuse people as to your relationship with Viet Weekly.
Secondly, I did not “attack Do Son”, I clarified the policies of MRBI (owner KALI 106.3 FM station) with regards to Personal Attack on-air. I did the same with VNCR. Do Son and I never traded barbs, and I stated this very clearly. It was VNCR: Vu Chung, Hoang Trong Thuy, Bui Bich Ha who attacked me first about my flyers against the proposed pedestrian overpass across Bolsa. I read off an excerpt of a posting that they allow on their radiovncr.com website, defaming me.
When I was asked about my alleged attacks on air, (by Le Vu of Viet Weekly, not Etcetera) there was no moment of silence. I stated that if anyone felt that I had offended them, that it would be proper for them to complain to the station also. And I said: “To date, no one has complained”.
So, in short, Mr. Bolsavik, if you want to do our community a service, please double-check your sources and clarify before you publish, that’s just good journalistic practice. (I have a full recording of the event which I would be happy to provide to you so that you can verify my rebuttal here).
Lastly, the press meeting was conducted in Vietnamese, and I don’t believe Mr. Bolsavik himself was present at the meeting, and so, what is published here in English is unreliable, from second-hand source (hearsay) misquoted and misrepresented. I think Mr. Bolsavik should identify this particular posting as such.
I have found many Bolsavik postings to be informative and useful, very newsworthy, and I enjoy reading them from time to time. But when there are postings that clearly shows an agenda to mislead and misinform, I think the record should be set straight, otherwise such libelous writings will go unchallenged as to its truth-value.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Joseph Dovinh
Ex gay room mate, so you had a gender change operation; now, aka Bolsa Cute Girl. Umm…everything is making sense.
One last thing: I wish we could maintain some level of decency and civility on Bolsavik because it is potentially a good source of news and information. I don’t understand why all the name-calling is necessary? How is this contributing to reforming the negative practices in our media-community? Can we be critical without dehumanizing each other? I thought our generation was the generation to set higher standards.
Mr. Dovinh:
I am sorry for Jung Kim’s actions; he’s a professional blogger who is not part of the community and writes acrimonious statements. Cancerous individuals like him need to be ferreted out. I guess redcounty.com told him and his like to clean up or get out, so they are moving over to our neighborhood, a bunch of gutless Van Tran thugs.
I apologize for his conduct.
Thanks Janet and Do ball boys for the compliment but you should not be using your county time on blogging here. But then again, you people are well known to break rules, regulations and the ethics as they fit your greed.
The Fifth Floor life must be good…… continue to burning/wasting our hard earned tax payer’s money!
It’s cool to know some of these idiots think I am a professional blogger… which I am not but I am a guru teaching the truth! YES on Prop. 8!
No Jung Kim, thank you for being so stupid to think that I am Andrew Do Do. Who has the last laugh?
I think pervert Art will have the last laugh with his “nutty” hit piece…may have been paid by the friends of Janet.
Jung Kim, racing thoughts of further conspiracies? Parents left you alone in the dark closet when you were young? Mistreatment by others around you? Recurring paranoia strikes?
Let that guy defend himself!
Hey Luna Loon, just having an recollection of your own dark past?
I thought only Art had a troubled youth years.
No, trying to understand your hostile and unfriendly demeandor.
I notice that you are extremely supportive of Prop 8 but cannot fully elaborate the possible problematic issues and yet claim to be such a sage. What a hack! Explains why you and Jubal are being routed daily by visitors coming to your website and shutting you both down.
One more thing, leave Art, Freddy, Joe, and all of your imaginary friends out of this conversation, just Jung Kim alone. Mano-o-mano style. Hard to keep the multiple personality syndrone in check, right? Which person am I speaking to now?
Luna, Janet endorsed Art’s opponent ….and recently Art receives a piece of “art “in the mail sent by his opponents .
A very probable scenario that everyone had jumped off from Art’s sinking boat.
Hey Lung DDumb, if you don’t know who is Art Pedroza or Janet Nguyen then go home and take a long cold shower with your mouth closed.
Art Pedroza is extremely upset now but he can only blame none other than himself.
He is an oucast from our civilization. Thanks.
Wow, I do not know the man personally but is he that bad?
Art P. is known as a bottom feeder in the OC political circle.
Bro, is there recourse for people like him? Or is he out forever?
Just don’t vote for him.
Jung Kim/Tomahawk/Pancake Face,
If you are not a profesional blogger, I don’t know what one is. Either you are paid for shilling for the Vanster or you are just a blind, shallow and devout Vandamentalist. You are soon to be city councilman. It’s time you start growing up and act a little more dignified.
Jungkim, Tomahock, Pancake face, Deep shi*,
You need to update your resume kid. Van Tran will be ousted. You will not win the council seat. You should ask Hung to hire you as a radio cohost. You are still green and don’t be acting as a hot shot or hard core politician. Learn from Andy Quach mistake when he betrayed Mayor Rice by running against her.
First, you are taking advantage of the readers who cannot speak or read Vietnamese by repeating (hearsay) comments that are not correct. Do Son never said he took $20,000 from Van Tran to be quiet, because that would be an illegal blackmail act. To be complete, victims, who are private citizens, spoke out against Do Son’s defamatory statements, which were made due to the fact that the victims requested that Jane not have any affiliation with communist symphathyzers (note: not that Jane is a commie). That’s another thing, they may have called her a commie sympathyzer, and no one has called Jane a commie. The author should re-think about his usage of the word “attack dog”, because he may be doing the same by printing such one side news & exchanging info with the Viet Weekly magazine (see below).
Why are you all complaining about Van Tran being the Godfather and his gang activities? You’re the ones who kept on confirming his status as Godfather & him running a gang. If you look back at each of your comments, you will see that you, yourselves, confirmed this so called “gang” & want to believe this. If you get such a kick out creating political battles, then you might want to make a big deal out of the activities that Scott Baugh or Frank Barbaro’s political gangs are doing behind the scene. Van and Jane are small time cockroaches. Jane has got her own gang of business opportunists as well, if you all don’t already know (Andrew Do-a business partner & an employee of Jane, an attack dog for Jane in the Vietnamese Media; Tony Lam, former city council member of Westminster who has gotten Jane tons and tons of $; Nick LeCong, allegedly the force behind the gossips on Jane’s opponents in exchange for a position in the county; A Tu Nguyen & Nhi Xuan Van Ho, the link between businessmen from VN and the Jane’s gang; Viet Weekly, a newspaper that has broken practically all rules of ethics when it comes to Jane’s opponents). Recently, there has been a shift of power in Jane’s gang from A Tu Nguyen & Nhi Xuan Van Ho to Andrew Do perhaps due to the fact that he’s in the United States more than the other two.) Anyway, that’s Jane 101 for you. Why do these two deserve any discussions? Don’t you people get it yet? No matter what they do, it’s wrong. If Van eats, he’s corrupt; and what ever Jane does in the bathroom is a misrepresentation. There are people out there that will go to any extent to create publicity for these two even if it lacks any newsworthy value like Mr. Prevatt. I am so tired of continuous news that aren’t news. Mr. Prevatt wonders why some people have passed on this “news”? Please, take us back to the mainstream. Help Little Saigon go mainstream, where ethic is a concern and campaigns are ran on “real” issues. Just to be clear, I am neither for Van for Jane. I believe that Little Saigon media needs help and it can be helped by the mainstream media.
Hello Ginger. Where were you when other candidates had the same problem? Why now?
Like it or not, Van Tran will win re-election to his seat in the California State Assembly.
His opponent is unknown and lacks the organization and funds to wage an effective campaign to defeat Van Tran.
Joe Poopie with 6 IQ, I am not Tomahawk and your raggy split tongue can make a noise all night long and it can’t change the facts!
Trung Nguyen will take GG seat and Janet’s Do boy will have to end his rental room contract on the 5th of November!
A little peon with tiny head still believes I am Diep……. someone had said in the past “Hmmm, there is no medicine for an ignorant idiot”
Assemblyman Van Tran is the only true leader for our community’s best interest.
It is imperative that we support good candidates with right vision in this election.
Jung Kim Says:
October 31st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
It is imperative that we support good candidates with right vision in this election.
Who are these candidates?
JB: Matt Cunningham (Jubal) says that Vannie is termed out in 2010, meaning he has fulfilled the maximum number of terms, total of 6 years, and cannot be re-elected. Verified on Wikipedia. Are you talking about the same Assemblyman Van Tran for the 68th district?
Jung Kim Says:
October 31st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Assemblyman Van Tran is the only true leader for our community’s best interest.
What does this mean? In the past, present, or future? Who helps you write your lines? Sesame Street?
Smoked Lung and Baldy Zung, you guys must be attending Jr. High some where or very under educated in our political climate here.
I support Assemblyman Van Tran and GG city council candidate Trung Nguyen!
Get your spoiled pho soup from Do Do the carpet bagger and share a kool aid drink with under-achieving ZZZ Janet!
Hey Baldy Zung…. if you can’t comprehend my simple thoughts, you have major DNA problem!
Don’t get it yet?
Go ask your siblings….”what is DNA? they didn’t explain it in Sesame Street program”
Let’s try to understand your logic here:
Jung Kim Says:
October 31st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
It is imperative that we support good candidates with right vision in this election.
You said the above, note the word candidates.
Jung Kim Says:
November 1st, 2008 at 10:21 am
I support Assemblyman Van Tran and GG city council candidate Trung Nguyen!
I see only one name. Is there a second candidate?
As for Do and Do and Janet, I could care less what their problem and status are.