A former Stanton City Councilmember, Hong Alyce Van, has been formally charged with a series of felonies surrounding her attempts to maintain her seat on the council. Van, 40, allegedly stepped beyond legal bounds by forging documents to run for re-election in a district where she no longer resides, as well as casting an illegal vote in the November 2024 general election, according to a press release from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Despite being elected to represent Stanton's Second District, Van, and her family moved to a different district less than a year after her election. She, however, continued to actively participate in the city council of her former district. In a move to potentially preserve her political standing, Van is accused of making the effort to drive to her old home before walking to Stanton City Hall to suggest her continued residency in her elected district. These actions have plunged Van into hot water as she now faces substantial legal charges that could lead to up to six years in state prison, as reported by the District Attorney’s Office.
The legal accusations against Van are perjury, the submission of false nomination papers, offering a false document, and illegal voting. The District Attorney's Office fervidly spoke out against the councilwoman's actions. "The integrity of our elections will be safeguarded, and political candidates who lie and cheat the system in order to get elected will be prosecuted," District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, as stated by KTLA. "These are not mistakes. These are deliberate decisions to interfere with our democratic process, and they will not be tolerated."
Van remained a figure of political controversy and contention throughout the election cycle until her defeat, thrusting even greater attention onto her now-charged malfeasances. Her arraignment is set for January 29, KTLA noted.
