One California House Democrat’s goofy sneakers made a watchdog kickin’ mad.
An ethics complaint was filed Wednesday against Southern California Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.) after he showed off his custom Jordan-style kicks in a fundraising email.
One problem: his shoes feature the seal of the House of Representatives on the heel, an apparent violation of House Ethics guidelines, among other concerns.
Tran, who represents portions of Los Angeles and Orange County in Congress, recently sent out a call for campaign funds led by the “confession” that he was a “huge sneakerhead.”
Derek Tran’s custom sneakers in blue, white, and yellow. Foundation for Accountability“I wear a suit a tie to work in Congress, but rocking my Airforce 1s around Capitol Hill and back home has become my calling card,” he bragged in the email about his blue-and-yellow kicks. He captioned a photo of them with, “Custom. Members Only.”
He said he is “the most vulnerable House Democrat in California” and called on supporters to help “keep these sneakers on the House floor.”
“Chip in $3 today and let’s make sure they keep walking the halls of Congress,” he concluded.
Tran narrowly won election to his House seat in 2024 over former GOP Rep. Michelle Steel.
The right-leaning watchdog, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, says Tran is not only violating House rules, but also the law.
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“The law is quite clear: Members cannot use official government resources, and particularly the official House Seal, for anything other than official government business,” they wrote to the chief counsel at the Office of Congressional Conduct.
“Under the criminal code, reproducing the House Seal on shoes for personal or political purposes is not
permitted, and using it for political fundraising purposes is absolutely forbidden. There is no
doubt what occurred here. The law is plainly written and there is no excuse for violating it,” they added.
The organization’s executive director, Kendra Arnold, told The Post in a statement that an “immediate investigation” is warranted.
Rep. Derek Tran is facing an ethics complaint over his sneakers. Gent Shkullaku/ZUMA / SplashNews.com“Members of Congress are not permitted to use official government resources to raise campaign funds. The Official House Seal is not a campaign tool. Using the House Seal in a fundraising solicitation not only violates federal law and House ethics rules, but it also falsely implies government endorsement of political activity. Given the clear facts in this case, an immediate investigation is warranted,” she said.
Tran is facing multiple Republican challengers in his reelection bid this year. Republicans who have filed to run include Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen and Westminster councilwoman Amy Phan West.
The California Democrat has been prolific fundraiser. He raised more than $3 million in 2025, according to FEC records.
The Post reached out to Tran’s office for comment, but did not receive a response.
