In a dramatic legal battle unfolding in Santa Clara County, a prominent community leader has filed a defamation lawsuit against a local city council member. On February 3, 2025, Hai Huynh, a respected figure within the San Jose American Vietnamese community, filed the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, accusing Bien Doan of defamation per se.
The lawsuit arises from allegations that Bien Doan, who serves on the San Jose City Council, made false and damaging statements about Huynh's character. According to the complaint, Huynh claims that Doan falsely labeled him as "dishonest" and a "criminal," even going so far as to threaten using his powers as a councilman to have Huynh investigated by the police. These accusations have been particularly damaging given Huynh's standing in the community as an advocate for transparency and fiscal responsibility.
Huynh's complaint details his active role in monitoring interactions between city officials and business entities like California Waste Solutions (CWS), led by David Duong. The plaintiff had previously voiced concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving CWS's multi-million dollar contracts with the City of San Jose. In 2023, these suspicions intensified when connections between Duong and Doan became apparent. Huynh alleges that Duong may have exerted undue influence on city council members to secure contract renewals for CWS.
The tension escalated when both Doan and Duong took legal action against Huynh in early 2024—Doan through a civil harassment claim and Duong with a defamation suit—actions which Huynh contends were coordinated attacks aimed at suppressing his freedom of speech. Notably, during the trial for Doan's harassment claim on July 9, 2024, testimony revealed that Doan had referred to Huynh as a "convicted felon," despite no such conviction existing.
Huynh is seeking monetary relief exceeding $35,000 for damages caused by these defamatory statements. He also demands compensation for legal costs and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. His attorney, Patrick J. Evans from Huntington Beach, CA, has demanded a jury trial to address these grievances.
The case is being presided over by Judge Eric S. Geefon in Department No. 8 of the Superior Court of California. The attorneys involved include Maren Clouse representing the petitioner (City of San Jose) and Minh Q. Steven Dovan alongside Patrick J. Evans representing Hai Huynh under Case No: 25CV458112.