The OC Register’s story about legislators’ tax-free income actually points out an interesting fact about Assemblyman Van Tran‘s residence: It’s not in the Congressional district he’s running for.
The Register story here reveals that Van Tran’s official residence is his parents’ home in Westminster.
Van Tran is a candidate for the 47th Congressional district, and that district (map here) does not have any part of Westminster in it.
In fact, the home of Tran’s parents, located in a cul-de-sac near the corner of Bolsa and Magnolia, is in the 46th Congressional district, currently represented by Dana Rohrabacher.
Not that it legally matters; unlike other offices, for Congressional candidates the law (actually the US Constitution) only requires that they come from the same state and does not require that they live in the district.
What this does illustrate, though, is that most of the time a candidate’s residence doesn’t quite matter. Despite the negative connotations that come with being a “carpetbagger,” most of the time it’s not an issue. Especially in Orange County. Especially for a Republican.
Van Tran and his allies used to pour a lot of efforts and resources into supporting State Senate candidate Lynn Daucher. She needed to establish residence in the 34th district, so she rented an apartment in Fullerton without living there. Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do also rents a house in the city even though he already owns one somewhere else, but at least he’s living in the rental. And the current Republican candidate for the 34th State Senate district Sue Perez, she’s not living in the district now either.
So, if residence can be fudged when there’s a legal requirement, it certainly can be skirted when there’s no such requirement.
Still it looks funny. What it may do, though, is to stop Tran’s allies from harping about other candidates’ and officials’ residences.
The OC Register story is actually about something else. It’s about how state legislators take advantage of the per diem payments. These are supposed to defray the cost of being in Sacramento temporarily while the Legislature is in session, but in reality the payments are so high that many use the money to buy huge houses in Sacramento.
The piece leads with Van Tran’s house in West Sacramento (pictured), “a 2,658-square-foot house with two fireplaces and a three-car garage” in a gated community.
Tran was able to collect his per diem, even though he lives a few miles away from the office, because his official residence is where he’s registered to vote, at his parents’ home in Westminster. Which, again, is not in the Congressional district he’s running for.
Actually, to the Bolsavik, the per diem issue is no big deal. It’s a monetary windfall that the law provides. Whatever the intent of the per diem used to be, now it’s become a second paycheck. It’s a law that says “for every day we’re in session, you get $X tax-free per day.”
So if we’re paying them, it’s their money, and they can buy whatever they want with it.
The piece quotes a Tea Party activist as saying, “But see, that’s the point. It’s not their money. It’s the taxpayer’s money.”
Maybe. But if the taxpayers are foolish enough to let the Legislature get away with the per diem law, then of course the taxpayers and their money are soon parted.
If you don’t like it, change the law – or the bozos that make the law. Don’t leave the loophole there and complain that people are driving Mack trucks through it.
Quang can send us his missing wife’s name .
Kimmy is getting himself into the corner now, everyone here is making fun of him, I wonder how long can he last on this blog? Poor kimmy!
I can tell he start making funny, incoherent statement and repeat what other throw at him, so…juvenile, it is the school yard mentality we found at grade school.
Someone please check this faker man-child patient back into the nut house, before he think he is superman and jump out the window.
That would be a real mess on the sidwalk to clean. (sigh)
Quang was definitely on the Queer duty and it shows in his postings.
This idiot has dirty mouth! No wonder his 4th wife is missing in action.
Bo May = Quang Pham… I work here and you will see me serving our Viet community for long time.
Where is your wife?
Bo may,
I already told you that you are a street thug and a loser. Quang Pham is jumping back and forth assuming fifferent fraud names on this blog. Funnyyyy….
Bo May, you are so stupid. Jung Kim is a freakin Blog God. You are one of his subjects. You are just a worm to Jung Kim Quang Pham!
Quang Pham,
I am telling you to stand down and clean up your act on this blog, Pham. You have used profanities and personally attacked others who are not involved in your campaign. You have failed to heed to anyone’s advice other than your own selfish ego. You need to stand down now!
Bo May, Kimmy’s dog is in your bed sleeping with your wife. You are an idiot.
Ha Ha Ha That’s what you get for being a queer Quang.
Can I ask your dog for you missing wife’s name?
Who is cornered I may ask?
You Quang?
Or your missing wife?
A pathological liar does not know when to stop.
Kimmy switching back and forth between 3 different names and got all mixed up.
What a dork!
Bo May = Quang Pham when you reach 500 postings under stupid names…..
Bolsavik/I will send you a free bus trip ticket to Las Vegas ….so you can get married to your 5th wife.
Kimmy thinks everyone here is Quang Pham and Quang Pham is out to get him.
I bet he even scare of his own shadow.
kimmy; you still wet your bed every night? Thinking of van tran?
Guru do not go to bed…… I meditate for safe return of your wife #4.
What is your wife’s first name?
Quang, what color is your missing wife’s hair?
A pathological liar does not know when to stop.
Of course, you do not go to bed, you are to high to sleep. Been using cocaine. kimmy? Your handler, van tran, must have paid you in grams, huh?
Like I said, Kimmy does not know who he is anymore, switching back and forth between 3,4 names does get a man confused. He uses ‘Real Marine’ to shoot back at me while my post was intended for ‘kimmy’.
What a dork!
Why don’t you just use one name ‘Bo May’ like me? Then you don’t have that identity crisis. Why making thing difficult on yourself, heh?
Quang Pham,
You are hallucinating, Pham. I am not Jung Kim or Bo May Da Thug. You are obsessed with Jung Kim. Your behavior is unacceptable. You are getting tunnel vision.
yea yea yea what ever you said dork. Like we could not see the same different file language you use on those blog names.
A pathological liar does not know when to stop, he just keep on lying, he even lies to himself.
You are a pathetic little man, kimmy, a disgrace to viet race and to mankind.
Since when asking a simple question is considered a lying?
I and Bolsavik is little confused with your comment!
Quang, where is your 4th wife?
Quang, how may times have you been married officially in last 10 years?
Quang, what is your current wife’s name?
Quang, since when she has been missing?
Just tell us the truth Quang Pham = Bo May!
Van must be really scare of Q. in order for him wasting this much time in here trying to bring Q. down. That’s really mess up man!
In politics, the main thing is to win elections. Unfortunately, the rules by which elections are organized are established by the very ones who get elected. Also, there is no difference between a senator or congressman who did an extremely dirty campaign and one who did a honest, positive campaign. Once elected, the two are equal in congress/the senate.
It’s great for us, here in USA, people have the power to vote them out if their past records are full of deceits.
As oppose to politic in a commie state likes Nam, N. Korea, Cuba, once you get to be in the high power ranking position you will be there for life.
Thank you pussy for answered my question, now it explained everything. No wonder Kimmy went banana trying to find Quang’s wife. Even his dog doesn’t want to stay with him.
That’s ok Kimmy, forget about your dog. You could have one of my many bitches.
Quang Pham …be honest ! Where is your wife?
Do you consider all your ex wives as “bitches”?
Can you recall their names? Did you help them with green cards?
kimmy is out of it. He is start barking same thing like a rabid dog now.
By the way, why do you want to burn QP book again?