Silence on Trump's Anti-Asian Bigotry
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Time and time again, Steven Choi has been silent about the significant increase in racist attacks targeting Asians and Asian Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including attacks in Orange County. 1
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Extremist Steven Choi has also refused to use his position to protest Donald Trump’s use of the racist and anti-Asian phrase “Kung Flu” in talking about COVID-19. 2
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Choi was also silent when Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox called on all elected officials in Orange County to join her in condemning acts of bigotry against Asian-Americans, and to reject Trump’s incitement of anti-Asian hatred by calling COVID-19 the “Kung Flu” and "Chinese Flu." 3
Failed to Support Asian American Caucus in the Assembly
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Steven Choi killed a bill that would have allowed Korean American manufacturers of soju, a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, to sell their product in stores in California. 4 Choi killed the bill – which he had initially sponsored – when he was urged to do so by soju manufacturers located in the Republic of Korea, who feared competition from Korean American companies. 5
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Choi also opposed a bill that requires high school students in California to take an ethnic studies class. 6
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Extremist Steven Choi also opposed recognizing the Chinese city of Baoji or the Pakistani city of Karachi as "Sister Cities" of Irvine, arguing that he would not agree to such a relationship between Irvine and any Chinese or Pakistani city. When nearly 500 Chinese-Americans signed a petition asking Choi to have a meeting with them and reconsider his opposition to Baoji, Choi refused to meet with them, saying "the matter is closed." 7