Rep. Rohrabacher accuses ex-campaign treasurer of embezzlement

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) on Wednesday accused his former campaign treasurer of embezzling more than $170,000 in campaign funds.

Rohrabacher, through his Sacramento-based attorney, contends that Jack Wu, a Newport Beach accountant, admitted to taking about $173,500 in funds from Rohrabacher’s reelection campaign account.

“The committee also demanded immediate, full restitution,” attorney Charles H. Bell said in a news release, “and Mr. Wu promised to do so, but as of this date has failed to do so.”

Wu, who wrote a freelance political column for the Daily Pilot from 2012 to 2013 before moving over to the Orange County Register, did not respond to repeated attempts for comment. He had been Rohrabacher’s campaign treasurer, a volunteer position, since around 2002.

“I am disappointed and dismayed by this betrayal of trust,” Rohrabacher said in a statement.

The Voice of O.C. was first to report the story Wednesday afternoon.

Rohrabacher’s reelection committee first discovered a problem last month, Bell said, when instead of finding about $185,000 in cash on hand, the campaign account contained only $187.

“Upon discovering this information, Mr. Wu was immediately replaced as committee treasurer and the bank account was frozen,” Bell said.

Bell said in the statement that Rohrabacher’s team has brought the matter to Orange County and state prosecutors.

Orange County Senior Assistant Dist. Atty. Joe D’Agostino confirmed that his office was contacted this week by Rohrabacher’s team about the embezzlement allegations but that no criminal charges have been filed.

He said he could not speak to the validity of Rohrabacher’s claims.

Bell added that the congressman’s committee is conducting an audit of bank and other financial records from the past seven years “to determine the exact amount of committee funds that may have been embezzled. As part of its filing of the complaints, the committee has pledged full cooperation with criminal investigations of the embezzlement.”

Wu serves on the Newport Beach Finance Committee, an appointed position. Wu was also a panelist for the Feet to the Fire debate forums, which sought to vet local political candidates. Before writing for the Pilot he penned a column for the Newport Beach Independent.