Got this news passed along to me from our friends at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center... In San Gabriel, California, Councilman-elect Chin Ho Liao was the second-highest vote-getter in the city's March elections, where the top three candidates are elected to the council. So why is Mr. Liao still fighting for his seat?Despite his clear victory, the City Council voted not seat Liao and launched an investigation after a resident filed a complaint alleging that his true residence is outside the city's borders. The council has been holding hearings to determine Liao's residency: San Gabriel councilman-elect in residency fight for his seat.
The vote not to seat Liao was taken by the previously constituted council, which included two outbound incumbents who had been defeated in the March election, having lost to Liao. Instead of seating Liao or appointing a neutral third party to adjudicate the claim, and despite the potential conflict of interest, the council decided to hold a hearing on whether the challenge to Liao's residency is valid.
APALC's voting rights team, which is representing Liao in the hearing, says the council's actions and the entire hearing process is huge conflict of interest:
