Orange County supervisors approve victim impact statement for former supervisor after heated debate over scope and attachments

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a victim impact statement to be submitted for the federal sentencing of former supervisor Andrew Doan, after a lengthy debate over whether to attach the board's previously approved resolution and whether to list potential charges that the plea agreement foreclosed.

The board voted 3 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention on April 29, 2025. Vice Chair Sue Foley, Supervisor Shawn Winn and Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento voted yes; Supervisor Wagner voted no; Chair Chaffee abstained.

County counsel told the board the matter was time-sensitive because the federal pre-sentence report must be provided to the defendant 35 days before sentencing. "Under the federal rules, the PSR must be provided to the defendant ... 35 days before his sentencing," County Counsel Page said, and the defendant's sentencing is scheduled for June 9, which makes May 5 the practical deadline for inclusion in the PSR.

Why it matters: the board's victim impact statement is addressed to the sentencing judge and is intended to describe the emotional, physical and financial harm the county says resulted from the former supervisor's actions. Some supervisors sought to include a longer list of potential federal crimes and attach the board's earlier resolution…