I recently went to a funeral and met someone with a bandage on his forehead. When we asked what happened, he said he was taking a nap in his car in Oakland when someone broken in, pistol-whipped him, and then took his phone and his money. Two days later, 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth Celebration in Oakland. If these crimes weren’t enough for Oakland Major Sheng Thao to deal with, the next day after the shootings, her house was raided by the FBI just days after the shooting. Already the target of a recall effort, some Oakland residents are calling for her to resign.
Even before her story book path to becoming mayor, she was accused of ethical violations. Thao’s former chief of staff is now claiming that her office had a “pay-to-play” scheme orchestrated by her boyfriend. The FBI also raided three properties tied to the Duong Family, who own California Waste Solutions, which handles Oakland’s recycling.
After an awkward silence, Thao’s lawyer says that she has not been charged with anything and is fully cooperating. While she is entitled to the presumption of innocence, it doesn’t look good for her, particularly with a recall election coming up in November. The proponents of the recall seem to have a strong case, citing a huge missed grant to help with retail theft among other issues. The whole situation makes me sad – I have been going to Oakland since I was a child and still have friends and family there.
