Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor

Frances Marquez is the experienced leader standing up for Orange County's families. Join our campaign today!

Frances Marquez for Supervisor

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<h2>Fighter for Orange County Families</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/3686cfd3-a576-4b69-aa0b-17f3b48583b9/e61feba1-66da-4f8c-836e-a0bdae687026.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=5&amp;con=6&amp;sat=8&amp;high=0&amp;shad=-2&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=450%2C443%2C2178%2C2765&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="30" variant="base"><h4>Frances Marquez has never backed down from fighting for what is right. As a Cypress City Councilmember, she has used her voice to call for transparency and shine a light on backroom deals at City Hall.</h4>She's running for Orange County Supervisor to bring much-needed accountability and oversight to county government and deliver resources to the communities that need them most.Throughout Frances' career in public service, she helped create more opportunities for students, working families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors.Elected to the Cypress City Council in November 2020, Frances wasted no time helping families and small businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. She organized volunteers to help senior citizens with online vaccination appointment registration. When families found it challenging to find vaccine sites close to Cypress, Frances advocated with the County of Orange to bring a mobile vaccination site to the Los Alamitos Racetrack. She voted to provide resiliency grants for small businesses and to support entrepreneurs starting home-based businesses.Frances is often the sole dissenting voice on the council challenging the status quo and speaking for residents who have long gone unheard. She was the only Council member who voted against a 10-year trash contract extension that increased rates on residents by 32% and stopped a rate hike during the pandemic.&nbsp;She fought for residents and halted the building of a garbage truck fueling station near an elementary school. When the City of Cypress allowed the dumping of large amounts of trash at its public works yard, Frances advocated for nearby residents and called for the city to stop the practice.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/8a71912e-e5be-44d8-b1b0-6350fe1a6211/8a71912e-e5be-44d8-b1b0-6350fe1a6211.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=151%2C2%2C722%2C402&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="&quot;Cypress residents upset after city maintenance yard becomes yard dump site for private trash companies&quot; – KTLA, August 19, 2022" align="center" alignwidth="32" variant="base">"Cypress residents upset after city maintenance yard becomes yard dump site for private trash companies" – KTLA, August 19, 2022Frances has been a watchdog for taxpayers by demanding transparency before voting on spending, whether it be the city budget, the redistricting lawsuit, or trash services. She has fought to make it easier for residents to access campaign finance disclosures and participate in city council meetings.Professionally, Frances is an Associate Professor of Government teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing students and helped open doors for them to pursue careers in public service.She served as the Legislative Director for now-retired Orange County area Congressman Alan Lowenthal. Frances worked closely with the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to secure funding for the STARBASE and Sunburst National Guard Youth Challenge Programs at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB). The STARBASE Program encourages fifth-grade students to study science and math, and Sunburst helps youth who have dropped out of high school complete their GED at the JFTB in six months. She also helped advocate for better access to health and childcare for veterans.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/b31c022c-f906-4f4d-bf20-25a69424b6ab/b31c022c-f906-4f4d-bf20-25a69424b6ab.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1026%2C412&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Frances Marquez grew up in Orange County and attended Cypress schools." align="center" alignwidth="32" variant="base">Frances Marquez grew up in Orange County and attended Cypress schools.Orange County provided Frances with a strong foundation for a successful life. The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, Frances' father served our country during the Korean War. He operated his parent's small family farm where her mother worked as the bookkeeper. Their hard work earned them enough to buy a home in Cypress in 1974, where Frances and her five siblings grew up. The quality education she received from Damron and Vessels Elementary, Lexington Junior High, and Cypress High School enabled her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA. She then earned a Master's in Public Policy and a Doctorate in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University.Frances has decades of experience increasing participation in our democracy. She was the statewide director for a New Citizen Voter Registration Project in 1991 and has campaigned for local, state, and national candidates, including President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, and then Congressmember Xavier Becerra.Frances resides in Cypress, where she cares for her mom and her dog, Benito.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/72b07f06-c129-4311-8916-ddfa0607da87/72b07f06-c129-4311-8916-ddfa0607da87.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C7561%2C5041&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="center" alignwidth="27" variant="base">

Frances Marquez will root out corruption and call for more accountability in our government. Join today

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Congressmember Katie Porter

Congressmember Grace Napolitano

Congressmember Linda Sanchez

State Senator Tom Umberg

State Senator Josh Newman

Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal

Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva

State Controller Betty Yee (Ret.)

Congressmember Alan Lowenthal (Ret.)

Cypress Councilmember David Burke

La Palma Councilmember Janet Keo Conklin

Buena Park Councilmember Jose Trinidad Castaneda

Seal Beach Councilmember Joe Kalmick

Huntington Beach Councilmember Rhonda Bolton

Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido (Ret.)

Cerritos Councilmember Frank Yokoyama

Fullerton Councilmember Ahmad Zahra

Rossmoor Community Services District Director Nathan Searles

Huntington Beach Unified School District Boardmember Diana Carey

Westminster Unified School District Boardmember David Johnson

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<h2>Get the Facts About Janet Nguyen's Record</h2>

<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/1b79d405-cf99-46b4-befe-8eb805fa422f/1b79d405-cf99-46b4-befe-8eb805fa422f.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C896%2C1252&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="35" variant="base"><h2>District 1</h2>Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1 includes the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Westminster.Not sure if you're eligible to vote in this race? Check your registration information below:<a href="https://ocvote.gov/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">OCVote.gov</a>

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Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties

Orange County League of Conservation Voters

California Women's List

Women in Leadership PAC

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Latinas Lead California

Latino Victory Fund

National Women's Political Caucus of Orange County

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ILWU Southern California District Council

Southwest Mountain States Regional Council of Carpenters

UNITE HERE Local 11

Carpenters Local 714

Ironworkers Local 416

Ironworkers Local 433

LIUNA Local 652

UA Local 250

Foremen’s Union Local 94

United Steelworkers Los Angeles/Orange County

National Union of Health Care Workers

Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers

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Democratic Party of Orange County

Democratic Party of North Orange County

Newport Beach Democratic Club

Seal Beach Democratic Club

Laguna Beach Democratic Club

Leisure World Democratic Club

Hubert Humphrey Democratic Club

<h4>Cypress residents upset after city maintenance yard becomes dump site for private trash companies</h4>"My major concern is that that area is not zoned for dumping and or throwing anything in that area. I want to ensure that every resident in Cypress is protected from any kind of dust, chemicals. They should be able to live comfortably in their home with no noise or any public nuisance around them whatsoever."– Councilmember Frances Marquez

<h4>Cypress residents upset after city maintenance yard becomes dump site for private trash companies</h4>"My major concern is that that area is not zoned for dumping and or throwing anything in that area. I want to ensure that every resident in Cypress is protected from any kind of dust, chemicals. They should be able to live comfortably in their home with no noise or any public nuisance around them whatsoever."– Dr. Frances Marquez

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<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/550bb9e9-269a-4022-a668-cba1423d71f8/550bb9e9-269a-4022-a668-cba1423d71f8.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2248%2C2250&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" variant="base">The last time JANET NGUYEN was an Orange County Supervisor, she hired disgraced Supervisor Andrew Do to her staff TWICE.Andrew Do was JANET NGUYEN'S Chief of Staff for four years while she was Orange County Supervisor.He resigned, then was hired back as a part-time County staffer at an hourly wage of $54.27, over $20 more than his hourly wage as Chief of Staff.Voice of OC, <a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2014/06/nguyens-former-chief-of-staff-returns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">"Nguyen's Former Chief of Staff Returns,"</a> 6/10/14

<h2>Janet Nguyen Has Failed to Stop Corruption:</h2><h4>The last time Janet Nguyen was Supervisor, she was investigated REPEATEDLY for ethics and corruption violations</h4>L.A. Times, “<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/26/local/la-me-ln-fbi-task-force-corruption--20130726" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Federal Task Force to Investigate Corruption in Orange County</a>”, July 26, 2013; A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13; CalOptima Burns While Majority of Supervisors Fiddle, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13<h4>An Orange County Grand Jury referred to Janet Nguyen as part of a “hotbed of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of authority”</h4>A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13.<h4>Janet Nguyen twice voted down efforts to root out government corruption</h4>Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/09/16/board-of-supervisors-rejects-ethics-oversight-proposal-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Board of Supervisors Rejects Ethics Oversight Proposal Again</a>,” September 16, 2014.<h2>Janet Nguyen Violated Ethics Laws:</h2><h4>Janet Nguyen used campaign funds that were investigated by the FBI for money laundering</h4>FPPC Case Number 14/376; Voice of OC, “<a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2014/10/nguyen-campaign-donors-face-money-laundering-investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">State Watchdog Investigating Nguyen Campaign Donors</a>,” 10/17/14.; Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/10/24/fppc-evidence-of-money-laundering-by-janet-nguyens-2012-donors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FPPC: Evidence of money laundering by Janet Nguyen’s 2012 donors</a>,” 10/24/14.<h4>Janet Nguyen solicited campaign funds from a loan shark</h4>OC Weekly, “<a href="https://www.ocweekly.com/police-tied-little-saigon-loan-shark-hoping-to-escape-prison-at-sentencing-hearing-6439021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Police-Tied Little Saigon Loan Shark Hoping To Escape Prison At Sentencing Hearing</a>,” 9/14/14.<h4>Janet Nguyen was fined $5,000.00 for illegal use of campaign funds</h4>Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2007/12/03/janet-nguyen-fined-by-fppc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Janet Nguyen fined by FPPC</a>,” 12/03/07.

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<h2>Oct. 21</h2>*You may also register to vote in person on Election Day

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<h4>Dr. Frances Marquez, Ph.d, is a lifelong resident of Orange County with decades of experience serving our community as a Cypress City Councilmember, policy director, and college professor. Throughout Frances' career in public service, she has helped create more opportunities for students, working families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors.</h4>She's running for Orange County Supervisor to bring much-needed accountability and oversight to county government and ensure a high quality delivery of services to the communities that need them most.

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See Their History of Corruption in Orange County:

Janet Nguyen and Andrew Do Go Way Back

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<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/225ae81b-6942-459d-a44f-64689804810f/225ae81b-6942-459d-a44f-64689804810f.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2248%2C2250&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" variant="base">CalOptima almost "imploded" while JANET NGUYEN was on the Board of Directors for the agency.Under her stewardship, CalOptima — the agency tasked with offering health insurance for Orange County's most vulnerable residents including our seniors — almost "imploded" because JANET NGUYEN handed the agency over to hospital lobbyists and her campaign donors.Orange County doesn't need shady deals, we need to restore the public's trust in our government.Orange County Register, "<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2013/01/25/oc-health-plan-for-poor-appears-to-be-imploding-grand-jury-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">O.C. health plan for poor ‘appears to be imploding,’ grand jury says</a>," 1/25/13; CalOptima Burns While Majority of Supervisors Fiddle, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13

Neighbors are coming together and supporting Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor. Join our grassroots campaign, and get involved today by signing up to volunteer!

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Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor

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Share your ideas for the future of Orange County.&nbsp;Fill out the form and our team will reach out to you shortly. We look forward to hearing from you!Mail Donations Checks to:Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor 2024c/o Jane Leiderman16633 Ventura Blvd., #1008Encino, CA 91436Pay to the Order of: Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor 2024Memo: #1460254

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As a Cypress City Councilmember, Dr. Frances Marquez has built a reputation as a watchdog for taxpayers, demanding transparency before voting on spending even in the face of <a href="https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/press/cypress-councilwoman-files-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">intimidation</a>.

Track Record of Fighting for What's Right

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<h2>Oct. 21</h2>*You may also register to vote in person on Election Day

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<img src="https://run.imgix.net/f933c3c8-866b-4df4-86d0-d43e1a021230/19a64490-cd30-4c34-83f4-34069160a396/19a64490-cd30-4c34-83f4-34069160a396.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2250%2C2250&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" variant="base">The last time JANET NGUYEN was an Orange County Supervisor, she voted down government transparency measures TWICE.In 2013, a Grand Jury released a blistering report highlighting a "hotbed of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of authority" involving County Supervisors.When Janet Nguyen had the chance to start an independent ethics commission to stop corruption, SHE VOTED NO.Voice of OC, "<a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2013/06/supervisors-officially-reject-grand-jury-report-and-ethics-panel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Supervisors Officially Reject Grand Jury Report and Ethics Panel</a>," 6/26/13; A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13

Join a growing coalition of elected officials, organizations, community leaders, and neighbors supporting Frances Marquez for Orange County Supervisor.Please fill out the form to provide your public endorsement.

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Get the Facts About Dr. Frances Marquez's and Janet Nguyen's Record of Corruption

"I have never backed down from fighting for what is right. As a Cypress City Councilmember, I have used my voice to call for transparency and root out corruption at City Hall. I'm running for Orange County Supervisor to bring much-needed accountability and oversight to county government and deliver resources to the communities that need them most. Join me, and let's bring more opportunities to Orange County's working families."– Dr. Frances Marquez

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<h3>Standing Up for Orange County's Taxpayers</h3>Dr. Frances Marquez was one of the first elected officials to publicly call out Supervisor Andrew Do's allegations of corruption. Since then, she has spoken out <a href="" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-embed="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/K6wQ1cn8ZnU?si=0FR1SnyR1210MPec&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>">again</a> and <a href="" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-embed="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/SinF3S4X-hE?si=wcmYS9tp2vwpHU0h&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>">again</a> calling for transparency and accountability.

<h2>Your vote can END the Nguyen-Do Era of Corruption in Orange County. </h2><h2>Stop corruption, Stop Janet Nguyen.</h2>

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Nguyen’s Own Grand Jury and FBI Investigations and Pay-to-play Tactics Make Her Woefully Unfit for Public OfficeWhen Janet Nguyen Had the Chance to Stand Against Corruption, She <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/09/16/board-of-supervisors-rejects-ethics-oversight-proposal-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Voted Against It</a><a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/09/23/enough-is-enough-orange-countys-taxpayers-deserve-accountability-and-transparency/?share=eooynwidaw4scgwgdcuo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">See Recent Op-ed in the OC Register</a>CYPRESS,CA —Following this morning’s <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/orange-county-supervisor-agrees-plead-guilty-bribery-conspiracy-involving-10-million" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">announcement</a> of charges filed against Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do corruption scandal, Dr. Frances Marquez, a candidate for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, issued the following media release:“Today’s announcements further cement what Orange County residents already know: With more than a decade of corrupt Nguyen-Do representation before the Board of Supervisors, voters from all backgrounds are ready for a new beginning,” Marquez said.“I have walked all corners of the cities I will represent on the board,” Marquez said. “Everywhere I go, I hear that people want ethics and transparency restored to the board of supervisors. Today’s developments make that even clearer.”Janet Nguyen would bring a long history of corruption right back to the board. In her previous stint as supervisor, Nguyen used her influence over CalOptima to stack the board of CalOptima, Orange County’s health care program, with well-connected players from the hospital industry – the same types of characters who attended her exclusive fundraisers.According to an<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2013/01/25/oc-health-plan-for-poor-appears-to-be-imploding-grand-jury-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> article</a> in the Orange County Register on January 25, 2013, under Janet Nguyen’s leadership, lobbyists from the Hospital Association of Southern California were allowed to rewrite the county’s ordinance that governs CalOptima to give more control to health-care providers, and quote, less control to members and organizations representing members.”Nguyen’s ethical lapses has already hurt Orange County residents. According to a <a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2014/01/nguyen-harshly-criticized-by-colleagues-over-caloptima-audit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Voice of OC article</a> citing a federal audit, “CalOptima’s OneCare program jeopardized health care for up to 16,000 seniors. Auditors found many instances in which seniors with a legitimate right to have prescriptions filled were improperly denied.” According to the audit, there were also improper denials of medical coverage and emergency room payments.“As a caregiver for my 91 year old mother, I am haunted by what the Nguyen-Do legacy has meant for our neighbors,” Marquez said. “Thousands went without health care under Nguyen because she stacked the CalOptima board with her donors. Under Do, our most vulnerable seniors did not receive the meals they desperately needed during a deadly pandemic. For how long do our residents need to pay the consequences for our repsresentatives’ corruption?”Marquez has been outspoken on her proposals to tackle corruption on the Orange County Board of Supervisors:<ul><li>Creating an independent ethics commission without political appointees would ensure that our conflict of interest laws are enforced and that taxpayer dollars are not misused.</li><li>Instituting an Office of Contract Compliance tasked with independently vetting nonprofits and businesses applying for funding from the county.</li></ul>Marquez has a clear track record of <a href="https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/get-the-facts" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">taking on entrenched special interests</a>. Nguyen, on the other hand, has faced wide criticism from members of the press due to her mismanagement and unethical dealings with CalOptima:<h4>The last time Janet Nguyen was Supervisor, she was investigated REPEATEDLY for ethics and corruption violations</h4>L.A. Times, “<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/26/local/la-me-ln-fbi-task-force-corruption--20130726" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Federal Task Force to Investigate Corruption in Orange County</a>,” July 26, 2013; A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13; CalOptima Burns While Majority of Supervisors Fiddle, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13<h4>An Orange County Grand Jury referred to Janet Nguyen as part of a “hotbed of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of authority”</h4>A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County, 2012-2013 Orange County Grand Jury Report, 4/15/13<h4>Janet Nguyen used campaign funds that were investigated by the FBI for money laundering</h4>FPPC Case Number 14/376; Voice of OC, “<a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2014/10/nguyen-campaign-donors-face-money-laundering-investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">State Watchdog Investigating Nguyen Campaign Donors</a>,” 10/17/14.; Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/10/24/fppc-evidence-of-money-laundering-by-janet-nguyens-2012-donors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FPPC: Evidence of money laundering by Janet Nguyen’s 2012 donors</a>,” 10/24/14.<h4>Janet Nguyen solicited campaign funds from a loan shark</h4>OC Weekly, “<a href="https://www.ocweekly.com/police-tied-little-saigon-loan-shark-hoping-to-escape-prison-at-sentencing-hearing-6439021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Police-Tied Little Saigon Loan Shark Hoping To Escape Prison At Sentencing Hearing</a>,” 9/14/14.<h4>Janet Nguyen was fined $5,000.00 for illegal use of campaign funds</h4>Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2007/12/03/janet-nguyen-fined-by-fppc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Janet Nguyen fined by FPPC</a>,” 12/03/07.<h4>Janet Nguyen twice voted down efforts to root out government corruption</h4>Orange County Register, “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/09/16/board-of-supervisors-rejects-ethics-oversight-proposal-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Board of Supervisors Rejects Ethics Oversight Proposal Again</a>,” September 16, 2014.###

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With Orange County in a Corruption Crisis, Janet Nguyen’s Past Ethical Issues Make Her Unqualified

With Supervisor Andrew Do termed out and unable to seek re-election, Orange County’s First District voters will decide in the November election who will be the new face on the OC Board of Supervisors.Cypress City Councilmember <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/10/04/frances-marquez-board-of-supervisors-district-1-candidate-2024-election-questionnaire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Frances Marquez</a> and state Sen. <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/10/04/janet-nguyen-board-of-supervisors-district-1-candidate-2024-election-questionnaire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Janet Nguyen</a> are vying for the seat, which represents all or parts of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Westminster on the board. Ballots for the November election arrived in the mailboxes of registered voters over the last week.The five-member Board of Supervisors sets policy and direction and oversees the county’s $9.5 billion budget, 18,000 employees and various departments including the county health care and social services agencies, animal care, public works, landfills and more.Do has been absent from the last several board meetings, <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/08/27/some-supervisors-call-andrew-dos-proximity-to-viet-america-society-controversy-a-distraction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">drawing complaints</a> the First District is not being well represented. <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/09/24/oc-board-of-supervisors-censure-supervisor-andrew-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">He’s been criticized</a> for directing discretionary funds to Viet America Society and voting on contracts involving the nonprofit without disclosing his daughter was part of its leadership. The county filed a lawsuit against Viet America Society and another recipient of funding alleging the money has been embezzled – Do is not named in the lawsuit and Viet America Society lawyers have maintained the money was spent as intended.The candidates both said they want to improve government transparency and accountability, as well as address the <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/tag/homeless/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">homelessness</a> and <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/news/housing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">housing crises</a>.Marquez was elected to the Cypress City Council in 2020 and is an associate professor of government at Gallaudet University. She said if she were elected, her priority is to “usher in a new era of accountability” and restore trust within the community.“I want an office of contract compliance. It’s critical that when anyone does business with the county that they’re vetted, whether they’re a nonprofit or a business,” Marquez said. “Conflicts of interest are the problem, and we need to stop it.”Nguyen, who previously served as a supervisor between 2007 and 2014, said if she wins the seat, she wants all county contracts to be audited.“Voters are fed up with the government inaction, corruption, wastefulness, that lowers their standard of living,” Nguyen said. “What happened to all the $200 million from COVID? We need to look at the no-bid contracts. Why were they no bid? What standards did we have? Not only are we going to look at what happened in the past, but we’re gonna look at how to prevent it in the future.”If spending is questionable, Nguyen said people need to be held accountable whether they be contractors or county staff.Marquez and Nguyen shared different ideas for tackling homelessness and housing. The two did agree, however, that spending on homelessness needs to be reviewed.“I want to make sure that the programs that the county is carrying out right now are evaluated,” Marquez said. “We need to have data and evidence to show that they’re meeting their goals. If they’re not meeting their goals, then we need to go back and fix the problems. The reason why I’m running is I want a strong delivery of services for our residents.”The housing and homelessness crisis, Marquez said, needs to be treated as a humanitarian crisis. As supervisor, Marquez said she would like to form a housing strategy that “cuts red tape,” updates “outdated” zoning laws and incentivizes new development.“I want the Board of Supervisors to pass incentives and to mandate and hold developers accountable to build affordable housing and market rate plans,” Marquez said. “We need affordable housing for families. We’re losing kids in our schools. I want to make sure that we mandate programs, work with developers and hold them accountable. They have to focus on building affordable housing and making it a priority.”Marquez said she also wants to strengthen renters’ rights, as well as improve legal protections to reduce evictions and keep people housed.Nguyen noted that the state and county have increased spending on homelessness, but are still experiencing increases in the number of people living on the streets.“We need to audit and see what programs work and if it works, let’s continue to fund it or double it. But if programs aren’t working, it’s time to shut it down,” Nguyen said, adding that she would also like to see how each county agency is spending on homelessness. “And third, we need to empower cities. Every city is unique. One size does not fit all.”Nguyen said it is not compassionate of the county to leave people sleeping on the street.“The county should not be telling cities what they need to do. Empower the city to come up with a plan, and then hold the city accountable to that plan. Let the city tell the county what they need and how they can combat homelessness,” Nguyen said. “The idea of helping homelessness is to actually move these individuals into a permanent solution, not moving them from one city to another.“We need to do better, and we need to do it now. It’s been long overdue, and if we keep on pumping money from the state into the county, and we get the same results, we need to relook at what we’re doing and reevaluate it and find a new direction,” Nguyen added.Another passion of Nguyen’s has been standing up for animal rights. She <a href="https://sr36.senate.ca.gov/content/gov-newsom-signs-animal-shelter-medical-records-bill-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">authored a bill</a> signed into law in August that set a recommended standard for shelter veterinarians to make notations on animal medical charts for injured and diseased animals, as well as euthanasia criteria.She’s been critical of the county’s animal shelter, echoing concerns raised by some animal activist groups over its euthanasia and adoption rates, as well as the overall quality of care of the shelter animals.“We need to look at why we as a county animal shelter are failing in terms of getting these animals adopted, and not only adopted, but permanently, so that they don’t return,” Nguyen said. “What we can do is empower the animal shelter to help these animals get permanent adoption so that they don’t get returned. Second is the cost of neutering and spaying animals, dogs or cats, is extremely expensive these days. The county should find options and ways to have reduced costs and to make it more available.”Marquez said the county has continued to fail in delivering meaningful results when it comes to homelessness. In order to help with the crisis, Marquez said she would like to work with the board to create more preventative programs and services to keep people out of the cycles of homelessness and drug addiction.“Opioids and illicit drug use ruins countless lives. We must treat addiction as a severe health emergency,” Marquez said, adding the OC Office of Care Coordination’s 2023 survey of homeless people reported 49% said they could not access treatment. “With greater oversight of the Office of Care Coordination, we can evaluate county programs and better fund intervention, rehabilitation and prevention efforts.”All levels of government need to work together, Marquez said, which means making sure cities always have a seat at the table and that the board as a whole can work together despite differences in opinion.“I plan to work closely with my colleagues and find consensus,” Marquez said. “The bottom line is, it’s not about any of us. It’s about the residents. I’m going to be the third vote on the board to really root out the corruption. I want programs evaluated. I want audits.”Nguyen said at the state level, she has been able to work with others who have differing opinions on issues. If she wins the First District seat, she said that will not change and she will work with her colleagues to get things done.<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/06/don-wagner-and-janet-nguyen-maintain-leads-in-board-of-supervisor-races/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">In the March primary election,</a> OC Supervisor Don Wagner won outright the race for Third District supervisor.The Board of Supervisors is nonpartisan, but political parties often keep an eye on races for its seats. Nguyen is a registered Republican and Marquez is a registered Democrat. Should Marquez win, it would mean Democrats would hold a supermajority on the board.Ballots may be mailed back, returned to an OC Registrar of Voters official dropbox or taken to a vote center. Vote centers start opening for in-person voting on Oct. 26 and Election Day is Nov. 5. For more information visit <a href="http://ocvote.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">ocvote.gov</a>.READ THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/10/14/frances-marquez-and-janet-nguyen-go-head-to-head-for-district-1-oc-board-of-supervisors-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HERE</a>

Frances Marquez and Janet Nguyen go head-to-head for District 1 OC Board of Supervisors seat

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.MORE: <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/voter-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide</a>Name: Frances MarquezCurrent job title: Cypress City Councilmember; Associate Professor of GovernmentPolitical party affiliation: Non-PartisanIncumbent: NoOther political positions held: N/ACity where you reside: CypressCampaign website or social media: <a href="http://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com</a>In the conversation after the recent Point in Time count report, advocates have said a lack of housing has kept homeless people stuck in the shelter system. How can the county address the housing crisis and encourage cities to increase development of affordable housing? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)We must treat housing and homelessness like the humanitarian crisis it is. Orange County has consistently failed to deliver meaningful results. I’m running to ensure we do our part: increase housing availability to address this crisis and follow state law to reach our regional housing goals.I support adopting a smart growth housing strategy that cuts red tape and outdated zoning laws, incentivizes new construction that benefits and reflects the character of our communities, and empowers renters.The Board of Supervisors should pass incentives, mandate, and hold developers accountable to build affordable housing in market rate plans. I’ll work with community partners to rezone single-family neighborhoods so accessory dwelling units (ADU), and other multi-family housing can be constructed. By strengthening renters’ rights and access to legal protections, we can reduce evictions and keep people housed.As a former Legislative Director for former Congressman Alan Lowenthal and through my work with the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, I have a track record of getting funding to address the pressing issues affecting our communities. Accordingly, I will work to ensure Orange County receives its fair share and leverages local investment to attract grants and funding from federal and state sources.Where do you think the county is effectively spending to address the needs of the county’s unhoused, and what would you change about where money spent on homelessness is prioritized? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)Orange County has suffered from decades of self-dealing politicians who are more interested in helping themselves rather than those on our streets. This challenge didn’t appear overnight, but it does require leaders who will focus on proven solutions.Opioids and illicit drug use ruins countless lives. We must treat addiction as a severe health emergency. The Orange County Office of Care Coordination’s 2023 Homeless Survey reported that 49% of the population with a substance use disorder said they either received treatment or wanted treatment but could not access it.As Supervisor, I will do more to increase holistic and preventative care for the unhoused population so we can end cycles of addiction that lead to chronic homelessness. With greater oversight of the Office of Care Coordination, we can evaluate County programs and better fund intervention, rehabilitation, and prevention efforts.With better coordination with department leadership, the County Board can evaluate programs and allocate resources that prioritize emergency shelter capacity and expands access to mental health and substance use treatment programs to move and keep people off our streets.Where does climate change fall in your list of priorities? How, if at all, would you address this as supervisor? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)Addressing the impacts of climate change is vital because we must ensure Orange County’s next generation can set roots and thrive in our communities.Climate change has direct impacts on Orange County, due to shifting coastlines and more severe wildfires. To address these impacts, I’ll work to allocate funding towards climate resiliency programs and green energy production projects that make our infrastructure more sustainable and this transition more affordable.Alongside community partners, I’ll work to investigate and fund both immediate and long-term solutions that prioritize residents’ safety, retains our natural habitat, and strengthens our infrastructure to withstand shifting terrain.As a former member of the Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors, I’ll continue supporting safe staffing requirements that ensure our firefighters’ effectiveness to combat wildfire. Additionally, I’ll call to incentivize sustainable building practices and extend energy-efficient subsidy programs to more working families and small businesses.We must all do our part to meet the state’s current carbon neutrality and renewable energy timeline, and I believe it’s essential to make it more affordable for Orange County residents to join the fight against the negative impacts of climate change.Looking at the county’s yearly budget, what would you like to see different in the way county funds are allocated? Is there a department or project that has not received the funding it needs? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)Our current County Supervisor has directed taxpayer funds to organizations run by his cronies. Wasteful spending has prevented meaningful progress on the challenges we face. This culture of corruption began when my opponent was on the Board of Supervisors and continues to impact residents today. This must end, and as Supervisor, I’ll identify areas in the budget where there’s waste, fraud, and abuse.More residents should be able to access affordable health care in our County. That’s why I believe we need greater investments into our County’s public health services, specifically to expand services for youth, women, mental health, and substance use treatment.I’ll work to ensure CalOptima has strong financial management and qualified professional staff who provide our residents exceptional care. As an expert in policy evaluation, I’ll advocate for CalOptima to annually evaluate its program to ensure efficient service delivery and waste reduction.My parents raised six children without health care coverage, paying out of pocket to make sure we maintained our health. No family should have to face this challenge. Moreover, ensuring access to quality preventative care like mental health and substance use treatment stops cycles of homelessness and criminality which will benefit our communities at large.In your opinion, what is the biggest need your district faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)Our residents are experiencing a crisis of trust in County leadership. Supervisor Andrew Do’s unethical behavior makes clear we need greater transparency and accountability. I’ll work to root out corruption locally and ensure taxpayer funds are used effectively to fund necessary programs and maintain a balanced budget.I’ll advocate for an Independent Ethics Commission without political appointees so we can strongly enforce conflict-of-interest laws to end rampant misuse of taxpayer dollars. Additionally, I’ll work to create an Office of Contract Compliance tasked with independently vetting nonprofits and businesses applying for funding from the County.Any nonprofit or contractor doing business with the county and anyone in a position to evaluate, approve, or vote on any contracts should also be required to comply with stricter ethical standards. It’s the job of County Supervisors to ensure that the work of nonprofits and contractors be executed in the best interest of our residents and their taxpayer dollars.Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your district? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)I’m a life-long Orange County resident with a career in public service that’s focused on creating more opportunities for students, working families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors. I’ve built a reputation as a fighter who’s not afraid to stand up for what’s right and who works hard to deliver for my constituents.The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, I’m a proud Latina whose father served our country during the Korean War. He operated his parent’s small family farm where my mother worked as the bookkeeper. Their hard work earned my parents enough to buy a home in Cypress in 1974, where my five siblings and I grew up.I’m running for Orange County Supervisor to stand up for Orange County’s taxpayers and hold bad actors and corporations accountable for ripping off our families and deceiving our communities. More people should have the opportunity to set roots in Orange County and build a future for themselves and their families like my parents did.I’ll be a leader who listens, collaborates, and acts with conviction so all of Orange County’s residents have a chance to thrive.your press release text here.READ THE PUBLISHED ANSWERS <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/10/04/frances-marquez-board-of-supervisors-district-1-candidate-2024-election-questionnaire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HERE</a>

Frances Marquez, Board of Supervisors District 1 Candidate, 2024 Election Questionnaire

Orange County residents are again experiencing a crisis of trust. Scandals, FBI investigations, and guilty pleas have put us on the map as a hotbed of corruption.We’re now living through the latest episode with Supervisor Andrew Do’s involvement in directing millions of taxpayer dollars to a nonprofit run by his friend and Do’s daughter.We deserve answers from county leadership on how $13.5 million was granted to the Viet America Society despite their violation of state nonprofit registration laws and Do failing to disclose the organization’s ties to his daughter.This organization received funding to provide meals and mental health outreach to seniors during the pandemic. Still, no accounting records exist, and they failed to prove how many meals they served.&nbsp;This is not the first time Orange County residents have suffered from this level of <a href="https://voiceofoc.org/2013/07/fbi-spearheads-task-force-to-investigate-oc-political-corruption/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">corruption</a>.The last time my opponent, Janet Nguyen, was Orange County Supervisor, she <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2014/09/16/board-of-supervisors-rejects-ethics-oversight-proposal-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">twice</a> voted down efforts to root out government corruption. While then Supervisor Janet Nguyen was on its Board of Directors, CalOptima — the agency tasked with offering health insurance for Orange County’s most vulnerable residents — almost “<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2013/01/25/oc-health-plan-for-poor-appears-to-be-imploding-grand-jury-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">imploded</a>” because she handed the agency over to hospital lobbyists and her campaign donors.&nbsp;How many more corruption scandals can our residents take? It’s time for change.I am running for Orange County Supervisor to put my experience to work and usher in a new era of accountability and transparency to restore the public’s trust in their government.As a Cypress City Councilmember, a Government Professor, and a Policy Director, I dedicated my career to public service. I have built a reputation as a watchdog for taxpayers, demanding transparency before voting on spending. I was the only Councilmember who <a href="https://event-newsenterprise.com/valley-vista-gets-another-trash-rate-increase-in-cypress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">voted against a 15-year trash contract extension</a> that increased rates on residents by 32% and stopped a rate hike during the pandemic. I again fought for residents and halted the building of a garbage truck fueling station near an elementary school. When the City of Cypress allowed <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/cypress-residents-upset-after-city-maintenance-yard-becomes-dump-site-for-private-trash-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">dumping of large amounts of trash</a> at its public works yard, I advocated for nearby residents and called for the city to stop the practice.I refuse to back down from fighting for what is right, even in the face of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2024-08-27/cypress-councilwoman-files-lawsuit-against-city-officials-over-censures" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">intimidation</a>.When reporting first broke regarding Supervisor Andrew Do’s undisclosed ties to the Viet America Society, I publicly called for action during the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc7t_wXvunk&amp;t=65s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">November 28, 2023</a>, Orange County Supervisors meeting.&nbsp;Since then, I have advocated for a plan to root out corruption, increase transparency, and restore the public’s trust in our government:&nbsp;First, we need a true Independent Ethics Commission — without political appointees — to enforce conflict-of-interest laws and end the blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars. Second, we need an Office of Contract Compliance to independently vet nonprofits and businesses applying for funding from the County.Effectively, all nonprofits and contractors doing business with the County and anyone evaluating, approving, or voting on contracts would have to comply with stricter ethical and disclosure standards.&nbsp;Without these necessary guardrails in place, Orange County risks continued abuses of power.As my track record shows, it’s possible to positively impact our community without bending the rules or doing favors for friends, families, or political donors. That’s why we need reliable leadership at the Board of Supervisors — public servants who will prioritize Orange County families and taxpayers, not stuff the pockets of their donors and family members.&nbsp;Enough is enough. It is time to leave corruption in the past and usher in a new era of accountability and transparency in Orange County.<a href="https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Frances Marquez</a> is a lifelong resident of Orange County with decades of experience serving our community as a Cypress City Councilmember, policy director, and college professor.&nbsp;READ THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2024/09/23/enough-is-enough-orange-countys-taxpayers-deserve-accountability-and-transparency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HERE</a>

Enough is enough: Orange County’s taxpayers deserve accountability and transparency

Frances Marquez has felt like a marked woman ever since winning election to Cypress City Council.On the morning before a recent council meeting, Marquez delved into why she filed a federal lawsuit that alleged she was censured twice in “unconstitutional retaliation” against her vocal support of district elections.“I was impeded from doing the job that the residents of Cypress elected me to do,” she said. “It’s critical for people to know the story of my harassment. I never asked for any of this. I just wanted to help people.”The suit, which was filed on Aug. 20, names Cypress City Manager Peter Grant and council members Bonnie Peat, Scott Minikus and Anne Mallari as defendants.“The city has not been served with the lawsuit and it would be premature to provide any substantive response,” said Cypress Mayor Minikus in an Aug. 23 comment. “Nevertheless, the allegations appear to be without merit. Rather, they represent yet another effort by someone to blame others for their failure to follow the laws and procedures that apply to all local elected officials.”Marquez, who has previously worked for four congressional representatives, wore a gold House of Representatives mace pinned to her red coat jacket to remind her of where her political life has taken her, as she recalled tense times on Cypress City Council.Less than a year into Marquez’s term, Cypress received a demand letter from Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman that alleged the city’s at-large election system discriminated against Asian American voters in violation of the California Voting Rights Act.Cypress City Atty. Fred Galante called Shenkman’s allegations “boilerplate” in a response letter and cited Marquez’s electoral victory as a Latina on her second run for council in 2020 as evidence that district election reform didn’t need to be adopted.But Marquez dedicated her master’s thesis at Claremont Graduate University to the subject of district elections and quickly became a vocal supporter of the reform.“In my thesis, I found that minority candidates had to raise three times the amount of money in comparison to a white candidate not to win, but just to compete,” she said. “I shared that with my colleagues. I told them this is about doing the right thing. This is about democracy and having all voices heard.”Cypress City Council voted 4-1 to reject Shenkman’s demand letter, with Marquez being the sole dissenting vote.She alleged that the retaliation began soon after.Cypress City Council called a special meeting over whether she was complying with a massive records request that even asked for bank statements.Council members finally censured Marquez on June 27, 2022, with a resolution stating, in part, that she “interfered” with the city manager’s selection process for hiring a new department head.A firm representing Marquez at the time deemed the censure “meritless” as it claimed the resolution presented no supporting evidence of an actual charter violation.Months later, on Sept. 26, council members censured Marquez again after she spoke to Cypress High School students about government and politics.The censure framed Marquez’s talk as having “started out about politics and running for office, but quickly changed to how nobody gets along, how everybody is out to get her, how the City is being sued due to redistricting, and how the City Council is going against what the residents want.”It claimed that Marquez had been advised of impermissible topics by the high school only to ignore its guidance.As Helen Le, a Cypress City Council candidate, and Troy Tanaka, a Cypress School District candidate, joined Marquez for the appearance, the resolution cited that parents and students felt the talk was less about civics and more about promoting candidates favored by Marquez.The second censure came down with a heavy hand.Council members instructed Marquez to issue a written apology to the Anaheim Union High School District, fined her $100 and suspended her pay for 90 days.Marquez refused to write an apology to the district.“What the council did was wrong,” she said in reference to the censure. “They turned the talk it into something that it wasn’t because they were upset that there were two candidates running against their candidates.”But Marquez did pay the fine and continued to carry out her duties as a councilwoman for three months without pay.“I worked for free for the people of Cypress,” she said. “I love this community. After all this harassment, I think any other person would have stepped down.”In addition to seeking lost wages, Marquez also claims that Cypress has refused to reimburse her $3,834 in attorney fees when she hired Lee Fink to represent her during a deposition for a lawsuit over district elections.Cypress voted 4-1 in January to settle that suit. Minikus was the sole dissenting vote and blamed Marquez for the city not prevailing in court.Months later, the council approved a $835,000 settlement payment.With newly drawn districts debuting in November, Marquez is not seeking reelection to Cypress City Council. She has her sights set on becoming the first Latina ever to serve on the Orange County Board of Supervisors in a race against State Sen. Janet Nguyen.But before her term expires in a few months, Marquez wants to leave Cypress City Council with her name cleared.“They need to pay for the reputational damage that they’ve done,” she said. “I leave this council in December. I want to see good governance and civility going forward. I want to see people get along and accept difference. I was never accepted.”READ THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE <a href="https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2024-08-27/cypress-councilwoman-files-lawsuit-against-city-officials-over-censures" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-primary)">HERE</a>

Cypress Councilwoman Files Lawsuit Against City Officials over Past Censures

Cypress City Councilwoman Calls for the Board of Supervisors to Create an Independent Ethics Commission and Office of Contract ComplianceCypress, CA — Cypress Councilwoman Frances Marquez, candidate for OrangeCounty Supervisor District 1, is calling for transparency after <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvoiceofoc.org%2F2024%2F08%2Fhow-did-county-of-orange-executives-lose-track-of-13-5-millon-meant-to-feed-seniors%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cmrogers%40strategygroup.com%7Cfc32fbbbfdc542d9cd0208dcbbcadeed%7Ce69ede2ba64842cb9423bf8263588ec1%7C0%7C0%7C638591727221583802%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=VlBHpr9dwszmCzQm5t%2BVuyOZ8ygSISqoo2zA72M5Vu8%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reporting</a> that OrangeCounty’s leaders cannot explain how Viet America Society received 13.5 million in taxpayer funds, including a $2.2 million contract, to provide meals and mental health outreach to seniors during the pandemic for which accounting records do not exist.“Orange County residents are experiencing a crisis of trust. It is unfathomable that Viet America Society cannot account for the taxpayer dollars directed by SupervisorAndrew Do nor is it acceptable that the County can’t answer simple questions about the funding’s origins.It is infuriating that we are represented by a county supervisor who directed millions in taxpayer funded lucrative contracts to an organization started by his friend and employs his daughter. We need answers and we need to put guardrails in place so this never happens again.I am calling on the Board of Supervisors to create an Independent Ethics Commission without political appointees so we can have our conflict-of-interest laws enforced to end the misuse of taxpayer dollars this crisis has exposed. I am also demanding the board create an Office of Contract Compliance. This office will be tasked with independently vetting nonprofits and businesses applying for funding from the county. Any nonprofit or contractor doing business with the county and anyone in a position to evaluate, approve, or vote on any contracts should also be required to comply with stricter ethical standards. It is the job as Supervisors to ensure that the work of nonprofits and contractors be executed in the best interest of our residents and their taxpayer dollars.As my track record shows, it is possible to have a positive impact in our community without bending the rules. That’s why we need reliable leadership at the Board of Supervisors — public servants who will prioritize working families and taxpayers, not stuff the pockets of their donors or family members.&nbsp;That’s why Janet Nguyen is fundamentally unfit to serve on the Board of Supervisors. Under her stewardship, CalOptima — the agency tasked with offering health insurance for Orange County’s most vulnerable residents including our senior community — almost “<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocregister.com%2F2013%2F01%2F25%2Foc-health-plan-for-poor-appears-to-be-imploding-grand-jury-says%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cmrogers%40strategygroup.com%7Cfc32fbbbfdc542d9cd0208dcbbcadeed%7Ce69ede2ba64842cb9423bf8263588ec1%7C0%7C0%7C638591727221591810%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=O2KhcKxpsI3kFLbdWJtP3DRh0RDeanqeom6BMbFYhlk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">imploded</a>” because Nguyen blatantly handed the agency over to hospital lobbyists and her campaign donors.We need new leadership that will restore constituents’ faith in government. When I am elected as supervisor, we will enact a plan that brings a new era of accountability to Orange County and restores the public trust in their government.”&nbsp;Viet America Society’s ties to Supervisor Andrew Do have been <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flaist.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fandrew-do-rhiannon-do-investigation-warner-wellness-orange-county-viet-america-society-pham&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cmrogers%40strategygroup.com%7Cfc32fbbbfdc542d9cd0208dcbbcadeed%7Ce69ede2ba64842cb9423bf8263588ec1%7C0%7C0%7C638591727221598285%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=IZ1XA6IS9HFNJTLAJch8tKyWM90I6FjBnlzzf76GZIg%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">detailed in reporting </a>by LAist. The organization was incorporated by Peter Pham who worked on a high-profile project with Supervisor Andrew Do. Pham then founded the Warner Wellness Center where Do’s daughter is an executive officer. County contracts were granted despite Viet America Society violating state nonprofit registration laws and Do failing to disclose the organization’s ties to his daughter. <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocregister.com%2F2024%2F08%2F07%2Fviet-america-society-will-refuse-oc-officials-demand-for-return-of-2-2-million-says-nonprofits-lawyer%2F%3FclearUserState%3Dtrue&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cmrogers%40strategygroup.com%7Cfc32fbbbfdc542d9cd0208dcbbcadeed%7Ce69ede2ba64842cb9423bf8263588ec1%7C0%7C0%7C638591727221604368%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=CJqRZPiP%2F7T%2B6nHVrw4egFvSstkHFaSBn1joGWnUikA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">After multiple reports in the media</a>, the County demanded the organization return $2.2 million after missing county deadlines to prove the funds were spent appropriately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;About Frances MarquezFrances Marquez has never backed down from fighting for what is right. As a Cypress City Councilwoman, she has used her voice to call for transparency and shine a light on backroom deals at City Hall.Throughout Marquez's career in public service, she helped create more opportunities for students, working families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors.Elected to the Cypress City Council in November 2020, Marquez wasted no time helping families and small businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. She organized volunteers to help senior citizens with online vaccination appointment registration. When families found it challenging to find vaccine sites close to Cypress, Marquez advocated with the County of Orange to bring a mobile vaccination site to the Los Alamitos Racetrack. She voted to provide resiliency grants for small businesses and to support entrepreneurs starting home-based businesses.Marquez is often the sole dissenting voice on the council challenging the status quo and speaking for residents who have long gone unheard. She was the only Council member who voted against a 15-year trash contract extension that increased rates on residents by 32% and stopped a rate hike during the pandemic. She fought for residents and halted the building of a garbage truck fueling station near an elementary school. When the City of Cypress allowed the dumping of large amounts of trash at its public works yard, Frances advocated for nearby residents and called for the city to stop the practice.Marquez has been a watchdog for taxpayers by demanding transparency before voting on spending, whether it be the city budget, the redistricting lawsuit, or trash services. She has fought to make it easier for residents to access campaign finance disclosures and participate in city council meetings.Professionally, Marquez is an Associate Professor of Government teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing students and helped open doors for them to pursue careers in public service.She served as the Legislative Director for now-retired Orange County area Congressman Alan Lowenthal. Marquez worked closely with the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to secure funding for the STARBASE and Sunburst National Guard Youth Challenge Programs at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB). The STARBASE Program encourages fifth-grade students to study science and math, and Sunburst helps youth who have dropped out of high school complete their GED at the JFTB in six months. She also helped advocate for better access to health and childcare for veterans.Orange County provided Marquez with a strong foundation for a successful life. The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, Marquez's father served our country during the Korean War. He operated his parent's small family farm where her mother worked as the bookkeeper. Their hard work earned them enough to buy a home in Cypress in 1974, where Marquez and her five siblings grew up. The quality education she received from Damron and Vessels Elementary, Lexington Junior High, and Cypress High School enabled her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA. She then earned a Master's in Public Policy and a Doctorate in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University.Marquez has decades of experience increasing participation in our democracy. She was the statewide director for a New Citizen Voter Registration Project in 1991 and has campaigned for local, state, and national candidates, including President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, and then Congressmember Xavier Becerra.Marquez resides in Cypress, where she cares for her mom and her dog, Benito.Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1 is represented by Supervisor Andrew Do, who will complete his final term in December 2024. The district includes the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Westminster.Learn more at <a href="https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.FrancesMarquezforSupervisor.com</a>###

Cypress City Councilwoman Calls for the Board of Supervisors to Create an Independent Ethics Commission and Office of Contract Compliance

Orange County Supervisor Candidate Frances Marquez Demands Transparency

Taxpayer Watchdog Vows to Fight for Accountability and Delivery ofCounty Services to Communities with the Greatest NeedCypress, CA — Cypress City Councilwoman Frances Marquez, a Democrat, launches her campaign to represent the first district on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.&nbsp;The sole dissenting voice on the Cypress City Council, Marquez has challenged the status quo and speaks for residents who have long gone unheard. She vows to bring much-needed accountability and oversight to county government and deliver health, housing, and safety resources to the communities that need them most.&nbsp;“I have never backed down from fighting for what is right. As a Cypress City Councilwoman, I have used my voice to call for transparency and accountability at City Hall. I'm running for Orange County Supervisor to shine a light on our county government and ensure we deliver quality services to Orange County's working families,” stated Marquez.&nbsp;Elected to the Cypress City Council in November 2020, Marquez wasted no time helping families and small businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been a watchdog for taxpayers by demanding transparency before voting on spending, whether it be the city budget, the redistricting lawsuit, or trash services.&nbsp;Professionally, Marquez is an Associate Professor of Government teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing students and served as the Legislative Director for now-retired Orange County area Congressman Alan Lowenthal.Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1 is represented by Supervisor Andrew Do, who will complete his final term in December 2024. The district includes the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Westminster. The election will occur on March 5, 2024, with a run-off election on November 5, 2024, if no candidate surpasses a 50% threshold.About Frances Marquez&nbsp;Frances Marquez has never backed down from fighting for what is right. As a Cypress City Councilwoman, she has used her voice to call for transparency and shine a light on backroom deals at City Hall.&nbsp;Throughout Marquez's career in public service, she helped create more opportunities for students, working families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors.&nbsp;Elected to the Cypress City Council in November 2020, Marquez wasted no time helping families and small businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. She organized volunteers to help senior citizens with online vaccination appointment registration. When families found it challenging to find vaccine sites close to Cypress, Marquez advocated with the County of Orange to bring a mobile vaccination site to the Los Alamitos Racetrack. She voted to provide resiliency grants for small businesses and to support entrepreneurs starting home-based businesses.&nbsp;Marquez is often the sole dissenting voice on the council challenging the status quo and speaking for residents who have long gone unheard. She was the only Council member who voted against a 15-year trash contract extension that increased rates on residents by 32% and stopped a rate hike during the pandemic. She fought for residents and halted the building of a garbage truck fueling station near an elementary school. When the City of Cypress allowed the dumping of large amounts of trash at its public works yard, Frances advocated for nearby residents and called for the city to stop the practice.&nbsp;Marquez has been a watchdog for taxpayers by demanding transparency before voting on spending, whether it be the city budget, the redistricting lawsuit, or trash services. She has fought to make it easier for residents to access campaign finance disclosures and participate in city council meetings.&nbsp;Professionally, Marquez is an Associate Professor of Government teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing students and helped open doors for them to pursue careers in public service.&nbsp;She served as the Legislative Director for now-retired Orange County area Congressman Alan Lowenthal. Marquez worked closely with the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to secure funding for the STARBASE and Sunburst National Guard Youth Challenge Programs at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB). The STARBASE Program encourages fifth-grade students to study science and math, and Sunburst helps youth who have dropped out of high school complete their GED at the JFTB in six months. She also helped advocate for better access to health and childcare for veterans.&nbsp;Orange County provided Marquez with a strong foundation for a successful life. The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, Marquez's father served our country during the Korean War. He operated his parent's small family farm where her mother worked as the bookkeeper. Their hard work earned them enough to buy a home in Cypress in 1974, where Marquez and her five siblings grew up. The quality education she received from Damron and Vessels Elementary, Lexington Junior High, and Cypress High School enabled her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA. She then earned a Master's in Public Policy and a Doctorate in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University.&nbsp;Marquez has decades of experience increasing participation in our democracy. She was the statewide director for a New Citizen Voter Registration Project in 1991 and has campaigned for local, state, and national candidates, including President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, and then Congressmember Xavier Becerra.&nbsp;Marquez resides in Cypress, where she cares for her mom and her dog, Benito.&nbsp;Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1 is represented by Supervisor Andrew Do, who will complete his final term in December 2024. The district includes the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Westminster.&nbsp;Learn more at <a href="https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.FrancesMarquezforSupervisor.com</a>&nbsp;###

Taxpayer Watchdog Vows to Fight for Accountability and Delivery of County Services to Communities with the Greatest Need

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