Former congressman TJ Cox pleads ‘not guilty’ vs. fraud charges.

Former Congressman TJ Cox was arrested and charged with fraud.

Updated 11:50 p.m., Aug. 16.

A 28-count indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of California charging a former member of Congress with multiple fraud schemes and campaign contribution fraud.

Terrance John “TJ” Cox, 59, of Fresno, is charged with 15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of financial institution fraud, and one count of campaign contribution fraud.

Cox turned himself in to authorities Tuesday morning. In the afternoon, he pleaded not guilty in federal court, according to the county Sheriff's Office records. Cox was released on his own recognizance after surrendering his passport, according to court records. His next court hearing is scheduled for October 12.

Cox made history in 2018 when he won the 21st Congressional District seat by becoming the first Filipino American from California in Congress. In a close contest, he lost a re-election bid in 2020 to the current Congressman, Republican David Valadao.

According to allegations in the indictment, Cox perpetrated multiple fraud schemes targeting companies he was affiliated with and their clients and vendors. Cox created unauthorized off-the-books bank accounts and diverted client and company money into those accounts through false representations, pretenses and promises. From 2013 to 2018, across two different fraud schemes, Cox illicitly obtained over $1.7 million in diverted client payments and company loans and investments he solicited and then stole.

In addition, Cox allegedly received mortgage loan funds from a lender for a property purchase by submitting multiple false representations to the lender, including fabricated bank statements and false statements that Cox intended to live in the property as his primary residence. However, the indictment alleges Cox intended to and did buy the property to rent it to someone else.

According to allegations in the indictment, Cox also fraudulently obtained a $1.5 million construction loan to develop the recreation area in Fresno known as Granite Park. Cox and his business partner’s nonprofit could not qualify for the construction loan without a financially viable party guaranteeing the loan. 

Cox allegedly falsely represented that one of his affiliated companies would guarantee the loan, and submitted a fabricated board resolution which falsely stated that at a meeting on a given date all company owners agreed to guarantee the Granite Park loan. No meeting took place, and the other owners did not agree to back the loan. The loan later went into default causing a loss of more than $1.28 million.

According to allegations in the indictment, when Cox was a candidate for the US  House of Representatives in the 2018 election, he perpetrated a scheme to fund and reimburse family members and associates for donations to his campaign. Cox arranged for over $25,000 in illegal straw or conduit donations to his campaign in 2017.

If convicted, C ox faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for wire fraud affecting a financial institution and financial institution fraud. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for campaign contribution fraud. 

Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter. 

Former Filipino American congressman will not run for office in 2022

TJ Cox discusses his future plans.

TJ Cox, the first Filipino American representing California in Congress, will not be running for office in 2022. 

TJ Cox, who represented District 21 in 2018-2020 will not run against the Republican who beat him in 2020.

Instead, Cox has endorsed state Assemblymember Rudy Salas, a Latino American, against Republican Rep. David Valadao. Prior to his endorsement of Salas, there was much speculatoin whether or not Cox would seek to regain the seat that he narrowly lost to Valadao in 2020.

"There’s no question that Rudy gives us our best shot of flipping a seat from red to blue here in the Valley,” Cox told KGET. “No one knows their district better than Rudy. No one has delivered more for their district than Rudy. This year alone he has delivered over 50 million dollars for public safety, water and education. He’s raised wages for farmworkers and lowered healthcare costs for families. His track record as a fearless and independent representative for the Valley will serve him well in Congress.”

Democrats have called Valadao’s seat one of the most vulnerable in the nation. The district will likely have different boundaries that will include more Democratic voters under the redistricting plan based on the population data from the 2020 Census.

Chris Mathys, the former Fresno city councilman, is challenging Valadao from the right. Many Republican groups are upset over Valadao because he voted to impeach Donald Trump.

Delano Mayor Brian Osorio and former Assemblywoman-turned-lobbyist Nicole Parra, both Democrats, are also in the race.

Filipino Americans have historically underrepresented in Congress. Cox, who represented the 21st Congressional District for a single term, 2018-2020, was one of the few Filipino Americans elected to Congress. Virginia's Rep. Bobby Scott is the only other current member of Congress who is of Filipino descent.

The former Congressional representative who ran a job-training program prior to his election, is rebranding his old PAC known as “TJ Cox for Congress” into a new one called the “Rising Electorate PAC.”

In an interview with 17 News, he said he hopes the campaign will reach younger voters, single women, and communities of color.

“Our goal and our mission is to organize, to coordinate, and to directly fund voter registration efforts,” he said.

“If you look at Kings, Tulare, and Kern County — that is a population of 1.5 million people — there are only 25,000 more Republicans than Democrats. We intend to register two times, three times that many so that when the midterms come around, we’re more than prepared to take back not only my seat, but the Devin Nunes seat and the Kevin McCarthy seat as well,” Cox continued.

Prior to entering politics, Cox used his experience as a businssman and engineer to creat the Central Valley Fund, which raises money for projects such as health clinics, job-training projects and affordable housing located in economically-disadvantaged neighborhoods throughout the Central Valley.

Fiipino American Congressman concedes

Congressmember TJ Cox

U.S. Representative TJ Cox, one of only two members of Congress of Filipino descent, conceded in the race for California’s 21st Congressional District on Friday.

Cox said he conceded in a phone call to his Republican opponent, David Valadao. The Kern County Elections Office completed their vote count on Nov. 30 with Valadao narrowly winning the Central Valley district. Valadao had 85,298 (50.45%) votes compared to Cox’s 84,406 (49.55%) votes, a difference of 892 votes.

Cox's campaign depended on a strong grassroots ground game to win in 2018, but the coronavirus limited that strategy this time around.

"Almost three years ago, I entered the race for California’s 21st District as an underdog. But we out-worked our opponent and pulled off the most stunning upset in Central Valley history. Unfortunately, this year due to the Coronavirus, we weren’t able to engage in door-to-door personal canvassing and the election results reflected that,” said the congressman.

Cox was elected in 2018 by beating Valadao with a margin of 865 votes. He joined Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia as Filipino American members of Congress.

Before Thanksgiving, Valadao was leading Cox by about 1700 votes. Cox, hoping to eke out a win like he did in 2018 was able to narrow the lead by half in the final count.

Following is Cox's full statement:

"Almost three years ago, I entered the race for California’s 21st District as an underdog. But we out-worked our opponent and pulled off the most stunning upset in Central Valley history. Unfortunately, this year due to the Coronavirus, we weren’t able to engage in door-to-door personal canvassing and the election results reflected that,” Cox said in a statement.

"I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in just two short years. The 27 bills I introduced and the $700 million dollars of water infrastructure funding that I was able to get passed through the House shows what can be accomplished by reaching out and working together with communities and organizations on the issues that are important to all of us.

"Just as important, I was so happy to provide opportunities, internships and jobs to so many young men and women from the Valley. I want to say thank you to them for considering a career in public service.

"My proudest moment as a Member of Congress was when a young woman from the Valley said to me on the day we passed the Dream and Promise Act, ‘Thank you Congressman Cox. You finally make me feel as if someone cares.’ I do care and will continue to fight to make a positive difference in the lives of Central Valley residents.

"I am also very proud of the campaign we’ve run. We didn’t engage in gutter politics. We took our message directly to the people, many of whom never knew they could have a strong voice in their federal government. I never forgot that I work for them. I want to thank my staff, 2,000 volunteers, and over 50,000 donors who believed in our campaign to Put People First.

"I hope Mr. Valadao goes back to Washington humbled by his 2018 loss and has learned he can’t discount communities like Arvin, Lamont, and Mendota, places that went without visits from their congressional representative for years. I hope he will indeed deliver results for the Central Valley, which desperately needs a strong advocate in Washington."

Valadao, who voted with Trump's agenda when he was in Congress, claims to be a moderate Republican. He was supported by the powerful agricultural interests, who didn't like Cox's support from environmentalists who wanted to employ stricter water conservation measures by agribusiness. The GOP poured money into Valadao's campaign to return the district  back to the Republican fold.

During the campaign, Cox said that in the years Valadao was congressman for the district, the Republican voted lockstep with Trump. On Nov. 3, 21st District voters went with Biden over Trump.

Two key issues Valadao says he' will emphasize in his return to Congress is bringing water to the Central Valley and immigration reform, which would require him to work with Democrats who retain a slim majority in the House of Representatives.

Filipino American Congressman in danger of losing his seat, holds out until all votes counted

California's Rep. TJ Cox, left,  is holding out hope in his tight congressional race against
former Congressman David Valadao.

Republican David Valadao declared victory Wednesday; the Fresno Bee headlined a Valadao win last week, the Washington Post agrees, and on Friday the Associated Press called the District 21 race for the Republican. But incumbent Rep. TJ Cox still has not conceded for the Congressional seat for California's 21st district.

"Almost three years ago, I entered this race as an underdog. But we out-worked our opponent and pulled off the most stunning upset in Central Valley history. However, it took a while," Cox wrote on Facebook.

"2018 taught us it’s not over until every vote is counted. Taking that lesson to heart, I do not plan to make a statement on the outcome of the election until every vote is counted and we have the final results, certified by all four counties in this district." posted Cox, one of only two members of Congress of Filipino descent.

Cox won the 2018 contest by just over 865 votes and was the last congressional district in the nation to declare the winner. In that race, AP also called the race for Valadao before Cox pulled ahead in the final vote count.

On the day before Thanksgiving, the California Secretary of State reported that Valadao had 50.5 percent of the vote, and Cox had 49.5 percent -- a razor-thin margin of 1,754 votes.

The sprawling 21st Congressional District in California's Central Valley includes Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties with powerful agricultural interests, most of whom supported Valadao. 

Despite Democrats having an edge in the 21st District, Central Valley Republicans are more reliable voters. The neighboring 22nd and 23rd districts are represented, respectively, by Congressman Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

According to the Secretary of State's "unprocessed ballot report" made available on Thanksgiving Day, Fresno County completed its vote count, while Kern had 10,837, Tulare had 1,979 and Kings had 419 still to count. However, it wasn't known how many of those ballots contained votes in the 21st Congressional District race.

Valadao's win makes three districts Republicans flipped in California after losing seven in 2018.

On his Facebook page posted before AP's announcement, Cox wrote: "I do not plan to make a statement on the outcome of the election until every vote is counted and we have the final results, certified by all four counties in this district."

Two Asian American women lead GOP resurgence in Orange County; TJ Cox counting on late ballots

Young Kim, left, and Michelle Steel leading the charge for Repulicans in Orange County.

California is still a deep blue state and Democrats are not in danger of losing their grip on the nation's largest state. However, the GOP is not giving up if three Congressional races involving AAPI candidates are any indication. 

In 2018, Californians flipped seven Republican district to Democrat. This year, one returned to the GOP and two Republicans are leading Democratic incumbents.

Michelle Steel, a Korean American and chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, won her District 45 race against incumbent Rep. Harley Rouda, who won his seat in 2018.

Rouda issued a conceded late Tuesday morning with the following statement:.

"We did not win this election,'' Rouda said. "And while it isn't the outcome we had hoped for, it's never been more important for our leaders to hear the voice of the people, and to accept their judgment. I do."

Steel leads 50.9%-49.1% and 197,256-189,910. Steel also led 50.9%-49.1% entering Monday's count, 196,208-189,235, a margin of 6,973.

In Congressional District 39, in another part of Orange County, former state Assemblymember Young Kim is holding a slim lead over Democratic incumbent Rep. Gil Cisneros, with 51% of the vote vs. 49%.

The race is a rematch of 2018, when Cisneros narrowly defeated Young. 

If Young wins, she would join Marilyn Strickland, who won her Washington's District 10 seat and Michelle Steel as Korean American members of Congress. Prior to this election, there had never been a Korean American women Congressmembers.

Rep. TJ Cox is gaining on his Republican challenger.

Rep. TJ Cox, one of only two Congressmembers of Filipino descent, is behind challenger David Valadao by about 4,000 votes, but with only 46% of the votes tallied so far, the counting is far from over. 

The vote counting in District 21 has come to a temporary halt due to a COVID-19 exposure in Kings County, part of which lies in the district. Out of a concern of caution, the Kings County Elections Department was forced to close until Nov, 21. 

The pause in counting occurred just as the race was tightening.

Valadao is now leading with only 51.4% of the vote, compared to T.J. Cox's (D) 48.6%. According to the California Secretary of State's Election Results page. Last week, Valadao led 56% to 49%.

In addition to the ballots left to process, the counties could also still receive ballots that were postmarked by Nov. 3 and are received by Nov. 20.

“We still necessarily don’t have all the ballots in our office yet,” Kern County Clerk Mary Bedard said.

In 2018, when Cox beat Valadao, the race was the last race in the country to be decided. It looks like the same thing will happen again.

"We’ve been through this before," said Cox. "In 2018, my race wasn’t settled for 30 days. And in 2020, we’re in much the same situation. We owe it to the Valley to get this right, ensure each and every vote is counted, no matter who wins."

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this story misidentified the ethnicity of Michelle Steel.

House Hunting: Update on AAPI Congressional candidates

Edited for clarification, Nov. 5, 10 a.m.

All of the AAPI incumbents serving in Congress who were up for re-election, won their races ... except for TJ Cox, who is still waiting for all the ballots to be counted.

Two new AAPI members of Congress will be representing Washington and Hawaii; and two more if they win their races in California. That's the good news.

The rest of the news was not so good for AAPI candidates or for the nation. TJ Cox, the first Filipino American Congressman elected in California is fighting for his life; and two strong Congressional candidates in Texas, Gina Ortiz Jones and Sri Preston Kulkarni, came up short; and 99% White Maine went with flailing Susan Collins, a Republican, over Sara Gideon, who looked strong before election day, 

Following are the results of the contested Congressional races, but not including the incumbents who won reelection easily.

The winners

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 10

With 90% of the vote counted, former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, a Korean American Democrat, won her race for Congress against State legislator Beth Doglio, another Democrat, with 50.2% of the vote vs. 35.9% She made history by becoming the first Korean American woman in Congress.

HAWAII, DISTRICT 2

Kai Kahele was declared a winner for the seat vacated by Tulsi Gabbard, easily beating his closest opponent, Republican Joe Akana, by a 2-to-1 margin. A colonel in the Hawaiian National Guard, Kahele was also serving in Hawaii's Senate before making the leap to Congress. Kahele will be only the third Native Hawaiian to serve in Congress since Hawaii became a state.

Too close to call

ARIZONA, DISTRICT 5

It is too close to call in the District 5 race. Dr. Hiral Tiperneni, a Indian American ER physician, was winning in the early going but lost that lead as more votes came in for Republican incumbent David Schweikert. With87% of the votes in, Schweikert was leading the race with 60.9% of the vote vs. Tiperneni's 49.1% -- separated by about 6,500 votes.

CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT 21

In 2018, Congressman TJ Cox was the last House race in the country to be finalized with the Filipino American narrowly beating incumbent Republican David Valadao by 862 votes Once again, this might be the tightest House race in the nation and it could be days before all the mail-in ballots are counted. With only 71% of the votes counted, Valadao has 51.4% of the vote compared to Cox's 48.6%, a difference of about 3,000 votes.

CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT 34

For a first-time candidate, teacher David Kim ran a good race with a well-thought-out platform, but he was unable to unseat fellow Democrat, incumbent Rep. Jimmy Gomez. Gomez was leading with 52.3% of the votes cast. Kim garnered 47.7% of the ballots in the southern California district.

CALIFORNIA DISTRICT 39

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros, in his first term, and Republican challenger Young Kim, a former state legislator, Wednesday were still in a tight race for the 39th Congressional District seat late Wednesday. Kim is part of Republican efforts to recapture the once all Republican seats of conservative Orange County. With 89.7% of precincts reporting, Kim was leading by less than a percentage point, 50.27% to 49.73%. Her lead was just over 1,500 Wednesday evening.

CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT 48

In conservative Orange County's 48th Congressional District, the race between incumbent Democrat Rep. Harley Rouda and Republican Michelle Steel, the chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, remains too close to call. With 93.98% of precincts reporting Wednesday evening, Vietnamese American Steele held onto a razor-thin lead over Rouda — 50.42% to 49.58%. The candidates are separated by about 2,800 votes. It was unclear how many of the mail-in ballots remain to be counted.

So close, but ...

Gina Ortiz Jones conceded early Wednesday to Republican Tony Gonzalez, a Navy veteran and college professor. "I want to thank each and every grassroots supporter, volunteer, and member of my staff who poured their heart into our campaign," said Jones, a Filipino American. "I am so proud of the race we ran, and it is our shared commitment to fighting for working families in South and West Texas that continues to give me hope." District 23 runs an 800-mile stretch from San Antonio to El Paso, and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Rep. Will Hurd decided not to run for reelection, making this seat up for grabs but the GOP poured money in the race to keep the seat Republican.

TEXAS, DISTRICT 22

Sri Preston Kulkarni, whose campaign really drummed up excitement in the Asian American community, especially the immigrants from South Asia who were beginning to flex their political muscle in the suburban district. But with 88% of the vote counted, he fell short to Republican candidate and Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehl for Texas' vacant 22nd district seat. The seat was up for grabs after Republican Rep. Pete Olson announced his retirement in 2019. With all the excitement Kulkarni generated his loss was perhaps the most disappointing for AAPI activists but perhaps changed local politics forever. His concession statement: "Over the past three years, we built the most diverse and inclusive grassroots campaign for Congress Texas has ever seen, with more faiths, more ethnic and linguistic communities represented in our coalition than anything we have ever seen before.

"Our work doesn’t end today. This campaign is about all of us, not any one person running for office, and about the potential we have to restore reason, compassion and decency in our society. We must all continue to hold people in power accountable and stand up against extremism, cruelty, and hate mongering ... I promise you that we’re not done fighting for our future.”

VIRGINIA, DISTRICT 1

Democrat Qasim Rashid, seeking to become the first Pakistani American in Congress, failed to beat incumbent Rob Whittman. The Republican won easily with 58.4% of the vote and Rashid won 41.5%

MAINE, U.S. SENATE

Sara Gideon, an Indian American, presented a serious challenge to incumbent Susan Collins, who drew the ire of the nation's women and the Democratic Party for voting for Brett Kavanaugh for the US Supreme Court. Collins is Lucy with the football and the Democrats is Charlie Brown. She tries to present an independent image but disappoints Dems by voting with the GOP most of the time. Gideon, according to the polls, was leading in Maine but when Maine's voters went to the polls, they decided to go with the familiar face. Gideon trailed the moment Maine began counting the ballots. In the end, she was able to win only 42.3% of the vote as Collins won convincingly with 51.1%.

GOP targets Filipino American Congressman's re-election bid

TJ COX

Congressman TJ Cox, center with barong tagalog, co-sponsored a resolution honoring
Filipino American History Month last year. 

California's only Filipino American member of Congress is in a fight to keep his seat representing California's 21st Congressional District. 

The Republican Party has targeted the contest as one that they could win back by pouring millions into the competitive race for the seat in Dist. 21, largely an agricultural area with a Latino majority and has a history of voting Republican, even though it went to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The GOP sees U.S. Rep. TJ Cox vulnerable since he barely beat incumbent Republican David Valadao in 2018, eking out a victory with 862 votes. In fact, it was the last Congressional district in the country to be decided, more than a month after election daiy.

With his narrow victory in 2018, Cox became only one of two Congressmembers of Filipino descent. Virginia's Rep. Bobby Scott, the other Filipino American, has held his seat since 1993 and is a safe bet to win another term.

What's troubling for the Cox campaign is that Valadao defeated Cox by 17 points in California’s all-party primary in March. The two top vote-getters in the primary qualified for the November elections. Valadao currently holds an 11 point lead, according to local polls. We should note that those same polls also predicted a Valadao victory in 2018.

The independent polling site Five ThirtyEight calls the race too close to cal, giving Cox a 52% chance of keeping his seat, within the margin of error. If Cox were to hold on to his seat, it could be another nail-biter that would be decided weeks after election day.

Republican PACs and the GOP have been spending millions to defeat Cox with negative advertising calling him "corrupt." The largest newspaper in the district, the Fresno Bee, which endorsed Cox in 2018 is now endorsing his opponent.

Cox did have financial troubles. While Cox had to pay some back taxes that he owed, Valadao was penalized for failing to pay off workers when his dairy went bankrupt because he couldn't make his bank loans.

While in Congress Valadao went along with the GOP-dominated House, which was in the majority at the time, and voted against the Affordable Care Act. Cox favors extending and strengthening the Obama initiative offering affordable health care to all. 

Cox is one of the few registered professional engineers in Congress. In 2011, Cox founded the Central Valley NMTC Fund (CVNF), a community development enterprise that over the next 10 years invested over $130 million in projects, such as community health clinics, job-training facilities and social services centers.

Through this innovative organization, he invested in improving air and water quality by funding an innovative biomass plant and helping to develop dairy digester projects to cut methane emissions and fight climate change. He has also founded two successful nut-processing plants.

The California League of Conservation Voters endorsed Cox, calling him a "clean air advocate."

The House will most likely remain in Democratic control after the November elections, giving Cox more opportunity to pass his bills, which have emphasized the agricultural interests of his district and at the same time advocating for a cleaner and healthy environment.

Being the son of an immigrant -- his mother is from Manila -- Cox supports providing a path to citizenship for the Dreamers and DACA recipients and allowing non-citizen migrants to eventual citizenship.

“I am proud to represent the Central Valley and the many immigrant families from diverse backgrounds who call it home in Congress. Every day, the hard-working women and men of the Central Valley contribute to our local and national economy while providing for their children and families,” said Rep. Cox in urging the inclusion of health care measures 

“Regardless of their citizenship status, every person in the U.S. should have access to testing and treatment of COVID-19. By excluding them and their loved ones, it is a health risk to everyone in the Central Valley and throughout the country.”

He also co-sponsored the resolution marking October as Filipino American History Month. 

“As the first Filipino-American member of Congress from California, I am so proud to introduce this resolution to mark October 2020 as Filipino-American Heritage Month. From labor leaders to doctors, nurses, engineers, and entrepreneurs, Filipino-Americans work hard, humbly, and with humor," said Cox. 

"Filipino Americans are the fastest-growing Asian American Pacific Islander group in America. We are a vibrant thread in the rich diversity of our nation, and I’m proud to welcome every American to celebrate that diversity this month. In the years ahead, we will continue to share our creativity, our labor, our leadership, and our love of life, with all our brothers and sisters here in the Central Valley and United States."

DONATE to re-elect TJ Cox to Congress.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions. Updated Oct. 21 to correct the number of Congressional terms served by Valadao.

Resolution from AAPI lawmakers decry scapegoating of Asian Americans

Some of the members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

ASAM NEWS

Asian American Senators Kamala Harris, D-CA, Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, Mazie Hirono, D-HO, Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY and other elected officials have introduced a joint resolution condemning racism and xenophobia against Chinese Americans and Asian American Pacific Islanders.

“[Resolved, that the Senate] condemns all manifestations or expressions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;” the resolution stated.

Harris, Duckworth and Hirono announced the intention to submit the resolution last month. The joint resolution highlighted Asian impact to the economy, businesses and American culture.

It also stated that since January, there has been a “dramatic increase” in reported hate crimes and harassment toward those of Asian heritage.

The resolution highlighted incidents in which two children and two adults were stabbed in Midland, Texas, attacks against a couple in Philadelphia and vandalism of businesses owned by Asian Americans.

“Inflammatory and racist rhetoric from officials at the highest level of our government has contributed to a disturbing rise in hate-crimes targeting Asian Americans,” Hirono told Fox News.

If passed, the resolution would also urge public officials across the nation to denounce anti-Asian sentiments, document and investigate reports of discrimination, collect data and promote language inclusion in governmental communication.

Some lawmakers on the local level are already acting on addressing the issues highlighted in the proposal.

“One of the first things we knew we had to do was to educate our own colleagues in the House and the Senate because I felt that they were not aware of how extensive the [anti-Asian] hate crimes and incidents have gotten,” Congressmember Judy Chu, D-CA, stated  during the April 27 Facebook Live event, according to Asian Journal.

Chu, chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, praised the Senate resolution and told Asian Journal that she has spoken with other members of Congress to abandon anti-Asian language and promote accurate information on the virus.

The article also highlights Rep. Don Beyer’s, D-VA, No Hate Act, which seeks to correct “deficiency in the FBI hate crime reporting” by providing grants for reporting crimes and funding for community-service based programs.

Another bill, co-introduced by Rep T.J. Cox,, D-21st District of CA, a Filipino American lawmaker, recommends the Department of Health and Human Services to “carry out a national awareness campaign to increase factual awareness and knowledge of COVID-19.” This includes denouncing and finding ways to counter anti-Asian sentiments.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, getting accurate, timely information to the public isn’t just helpful; it’s a matter of life and death. Our institutions have struggled to meet this challenge, so it’s vital that we boost our awareness and education efforts, especially before we -when it is safe to do so – reopen our country,” Cox told The Hanford Sentinel. “That way we can combat misinformation and stereotypes that endanger lives and slow down this nation’s recovery.”

California Primary: Its deja vu all over again for Rep. TJ Cox

SCREEN CAPTURE / C-SPAN

Rep. TJ Cox expects another close contest in November.

It will be two familiar foes facing each other in California's Congressional District 21, a seat held by TJ Cox, the first Filipino American member of Congress from California.
It will be a November rematch for incumbent Democrat Cox against the Republican he narrowly beat in 2018, David Valadao.

On Super Tuesday, Valadao had more votes than Cox (53% vs. 36%) but in California's "jungle primary," the top two vote-getters in the primaries will face off in the general election, regardless of party affiliation. 
It took a few days to count all the ballots in 2018 when Cox barely defeated Valadao, by just 862 votes. And now Valadao, who served three terms, is hoping to take his old seat back.

Republicans have targeted District 21 in hopes to turn it red in their effort to regain control of the US House of Representatives.

But Democrats have increased their registered voters and Donald Trump's onerous immigration policies will weigh heavily in the Central Valley with its strong agricultural industry. The 21st District covers all of Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

That seat has become a focus of Republican efforts to retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Donald Trump lent his endorsement to Valadao during a visit to nearby Bakersfield last month.

"We all know this race will be decided in November. Remember, just two short years ago Mr. Valadao beat me in the primary by 26 points," said Cox in a statement. In November 2018, with more Democrats going to the polls, Cox was able to turn the table.

2019 Review: AAPI political visibility significantly increased

CAPAC

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus inducted a record number of members.

In the area of politics AAPI stepped into the big stage in a big way in 2019. For the first time in US history, three AAPI candidates threw their hats in the three ring circus known as the race for president. 

Businessman Andrew Yang, was the first to declare his intention in 2018 and with no name recogntion, he has doggedly persisted against all addCalifornia Sen. Kamala Harris declared her candidacy with an impressive Oakland rally with 20,000 of her closest friends. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii joined the largest field of Democratic candidates. By mid-year there were 24 Democrats vying for the partyi's nomination.

Harris, undoubtedly the strongest candidate of the three, surprised almost everyone by being the first to withdraw after Thanksgiving. Yang continues to gain steam while Gabbard is hanging in there.

In addition to the three presidential candidates, three more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were sworn into office in January. Andy Kim became the first AAPI congressman to represent New Jersey; TJ Cox eked out a victory in California to become only the second member of Congress with Filipino heritage; and Michael San Nicolas, represented Guam. With the three new congressmembers, the number of AAPI representatives rose to the most ever at 18.

AAPI lawmakers, all of them Democrats, were in the forefront in opposing Trumps racist and restrictive immigration policies, the citizenship question in the 2020 Census and the rise of hate and white supremacists and the GOPs attempts to dismantle the Obama healthcare program They also supported strengthening voting rights, disaggregating data and DACA.

AAPI voters helped turn long-time GOP districts into Democratic districts in 2018 and continued their political activity with voter registration drives for the 2020 elections and demanded the Republicans and Democrats address their issues at the federal, state and local levels.

2019 REVIEW

Part 2: Affirmative action debate exposes schism in Asian American community

Part 3: Trump immigration policies shake up, wake up AAPI communities
Part 4: Hollywood 'discovers Asians

Congress notes Filipino American History Month

Part of a mural in Los Angeles Filipino Town.

As Filipinos continue to grow in the United States -- becoming the largest Asian ethnic group in Nevada, Hawaii and California -- the community's long history in the United States is starting to emerge.

“As a Filipino American and one of 20 AAPI members of Congress, I am excited to celebrate Filipino American History Month.," said TJ Cox, D-CA, one of two Congress members of Filipino descent.

"This is a special opportunity to celebrate the rich history, culture, and continuing contributions of my fellow Filipino Americans to our great nation," Cox said. 

"Filipino communities are especially strong in California’s Central Valley. In fact, two of the most consequential labor leaders of the last century, Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, both Filipino Americans, organized migrant workers in the Central Valley, improving lives for generations of working families."

October has been designated Filipino American History Month since 2009 as advocated by the Filipino American National Historical Society. The month was chosen to commemorates the 16th century arrival of the first Filipinos to what is now the United States. Filipino sailors aboard a Spanish galleon made landfall at Morro Bay in California on Oct. 18, 1587.

For its 2019 Filipino American History Month theme, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) recognizes “Pinay Visionaries: Celebrating Filipina American Women” and their contributions to history and the Filipina/o American community nationwide.

RELATED: Teachers never taught us about Filipinos in history class

“I am proud to celebrate Filipino American history month and to be one of only two Members of Congress of Filipino descent currently serving," said Rep. Bobby Scott, who represents Virginia's  3rd District. 

"This month is a time to recognize the extraordinary contributions made to our nation. Since World War II, Filipino Americans have played a vital role in the development and growth of our country and I honor their service and sacrifices."

Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements to mark the occasion.

Senator Kamala Harris (CA):

“Whether it’s breaking ground in the legal profession, art, sports, politics, service to our country, or countless other contributions to our communities – Filipino Americans are celebrated across California and our country for their courage, strength, and conviction. I’m proud to join my Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus colleagues as we not only lift up the stories of current and past visionaries, but also forge a path for the next generation to pursue their dreams. I hope everyone takes time to learn about the great contributions of Filipino Americans in communities across the country.”

Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:

“Filipino American History Month is an important time to celebrate the rich heritage and contributions of Filipino Americans. . Since the arrival of the first Filipinos in 1587 in Morro Bay, California, Filipino Americans have added to the diverse tapestry of our country, serving as laborers, health care providers, entrepreneurs, elected officials, military service members, and Grammy award winning artists. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am proud to join with my colleagues to uplift and honor the important economic, historical, and cultural contributions of the Filipino American community.”

Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), CAPAC First Vice Chair:

“I am honored to recognize and celebrate the rich historical, economic, and cultural contributions of the Filipino American community during Filipino American History Month. In addition to the sacrifices of Filipino veterans who served in World War II, I want to express my gratitude to the Filipina American women who have strengthened the social and political landscape of all Americans on the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. I will continue to lead efforts in Congress to bring awareness to the vital role that the Filipino community played throughout U.S. history.”

Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), CAPAC Second Vice Chair:

“This month, we celebrate the vast contributions that the Filipino American community bring to our nation. As the second largest Asian American group in the United States, their unique experience, culture, and longstanding history of service deserves recognition. During World War II, more than 200,000 Filipino veterans served with valor and honor. As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I’m committed to honoring their service and sacrifice to our nation. I will keep fighting in Congress to empower and elevate our Filipino American community.”

Congressman Ted Lieu (CA-33), CAPAC Whip:

“This October, we join the Filipino American community in celebrating their contributions to the fabric of American life. Filipino American History Month encourages us to reflect on the role that Filipino-Americans have played in shaping our nation’s culture, industry, and history. In the nearly 450 years since the first Filipino immigrants arrived in present-day California, Filipino-Americans are an integral part of our business communities, our government, and our military. I’m proud to join my colleagues to wish the Filipino-American community a happy month of celebration.”

Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44):

"As we celebrate Filipino American History Month, we honor their vast contributions to our country and celebrate their rich history. From advocating for farmworkers’ rights during the Delano Grape Strike to serving in World War II, and playing vital roles in the technology and healthcare industries, Filipino-Americans are integral to the success of this great nation. Salamat—thank you—to Filipino-Americans across the nation and in California’s 44th Congressional District."

Congressman Gil Cisneros (CA-39):

“During Filipino American History Month, we celebrate the rich cultural contributions that Filipino Americans have made to California’s 39th Congressional District and communities across the country. As a Navy veteran, it’s an honor to celebrate the brave Filipino veterans who fought for the United States, including the many who I had the privilege to serve with. Whether it is through public service, business, education, medicine, or culture and the arts, Filipino Americans play a vital role in the development and growth of our nation.”

Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17):

“I am honored to recognize and celebrate October as Filipino American History Month. This month we celebrate that many contributions Filipino Americans bring to our communities. Filipinos are the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander ethnic group in California, and it is with great pride that I represent a district that embraces its uniquely diverse population.”

Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52):

“San Diego is home to nearly 200,000 Filipino Americans, and Filipino American History Month is a special time to celebrate Filipino Americans’ vibrant cultural contributions to both San Diego and the United States. This month also marks a time to recognize the commitments and sacrifices of Filipinos who served alongside American armed forces during World War II, many of whom helped shape San Diego’s cultural and historical Navy roots. As a member of CAPAC and the U.S.-Philippines Caucus, I remain a vocal advocate for the Filipino American community and for delivering the benefits our Filipino World War II veterans earned.”

Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (CNMI):

“In honor of Filipino American History Month, we reflect on the innumerable contributions and sacrifices our sisters and brothers from the Philippines have made to our country and the Northern Marianas over many generations. In the Marianas, Filipinos are an indelible part of the community. From education to health care and hospitality, Filipinos make up a significant part of our labor force and help keep our economy afloat. Let us recognize and celebrate the rich history, culture, values, and hard work of the Filipino community.”

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Most AAPI lawmakers endorse call for impeachment inquiry against Trump

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for an impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

Asian American lawmakers had varying reactions to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement that the House would be moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi Tuesday (Sept. 24).

The California lawmaker said the House will move forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Trump over a whistleblower complaint and the his alleged push to get Ukraine to investigate a political opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden's son. The allegations against Hunter Biden were found false and without merit.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt." AAPI legislators endorsed Pelosi's action.

"I commend Speaker Pelosi for launching an official impeachment inquiry across six committees," said Congressman Ted Lieu, a member of the judiciary committee that investigates Trump. "This whistleblower complaint is a big deal."

The impeachment inquiry stems from a whistleblower complaint alleging Trump sought help in digging up dirt on his political rival, Vice President Joe Biden, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call between the two last summer.

Lieu said Congress needs to see the full complaint as soon as possible.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt," said Lieu.

“From Day 1 of his presidency, Donald Trump has been motivated by two things: protecting himself and making money. Speaker Pelosi is right to hold this dangerous chief executive accountable,” stated Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono, who first called for Trump's impeachment the day after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller earlier this year.

Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, tweeted: 

Virginia's Rep. Bobby Scott, who is of Filipino descent, issued a lengthy statement, that reads in part:

“Unfortunately, after the Mueller report found multiple instances of obstruction of justice committed by the President, after the President has continued to profit from foreign business transactions in violation of the Emoluments Clause, and after failing to sanction violations of the Hatch Act, recent events cannot be ignored. The President has now admitted to sacrificing national security for his own political gain and then violating the law by refusing to provide to Congress the whistleblower complaint submitted to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. That is just the latest example of this president violating the law and constitutional norms, and this violation undermines our national security. 

“Every Member of Congress swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I therefore support Speaker Pelosi’s call for a formal impeachment inquiry. It is the only appropriate course of action given the severity of recent events. Additionally, the Trump Administration must make the entire whistleblower complaint available to Congress immediately so we can consider its contents along with the evidence of other impeachable offenses that the president has committed.”

Filipino American Congressman TJ Cox of California's Central Valley endorsed the Pelosi action in a series of tweets.

"More and more people are coming onboard," Ro Khanna, who represents California's 17th congressional district, said during an interview with CNN's S.E. Cupp on Saturday evening. "And I think this incident with Ukraine may be the straw that breaks the camel's back," he suggested.

"I am ready to vote on impeachment," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, said, adding that there are a few committees still putting some "remaining pieces" together. "But what we're seeing now is incredibly serious, incredibly grave." 

Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, and vice chair of the DNC tweeted:

Sen. Kamala Harris, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for President, has long called for impeachment proceedings against Trump.

"I strongly believe that it is long past due that we begin impeachment proceedings against this President," Harris said. "He's pressured a foreign leader, the Ukraine President, to dig up dirt on a political opponent, in the 2020 presidential election. He urged a foreign country to attack our democracy in the 2016 presidential election. He gave classified information to Russian officials in May of 2017."

Andrew Yang, who was not in favor of impeaching Trump until the Ukraine matter came to light, changed his mind Tuesday.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), the third Asian American running for POTUS, was one of the few Democrats who didn't support Pelosi's decision to proceed with the impeachment process. said Wednesday (Sept. 25) that the partial transcript of President Trump's call with Ukraine’s president released by the Trump administration doesn’t show a “compelling” case for impeachment.

“Most people reading through that transcript are not going to find that extremely compelling cause to throw out a president that won an election in 2016,” the Democratic presidential candidate told Hill.TV.

The Hawaii representative maintained that impeachment will only deepen the “hyperpartisan divides,” and argued that most people will only see it as another politically-motivated move by Democrats to oust Trump.

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