Staff Reports
It appears the Democratic Mayor of Oakland, Sheng Thao, has landed herself in hot water and doesn’t seem to like the temperature one bit. On Monday, after days of laying low post-FBI raid, Thao made a dramatic return to the public eye, adamant that she has “done nothing wrong” and pledging to be “100% transparent” with the investigation. One can hardly contain the anticipation.
Thao has been notably absent since federal agents swooped in on her Oakland Hills home last Thursday, carting away boxes and duffel bags packed to the brim with who-knows-what. Meanwhile, Thao’s partner, who also has a cozy former chief-of-staff background with the Oakland city council, has been decidedly quiet. As tears made a brief cameo during her Monday spectacle, Thao fired back at critics, declaring she’s not going down without a fight.
Oakland mayor says she has ‘done nothing wrong’ following FBI raid – Washington Examiner https://t.co/K8kR3o2WSq
— Cassis (@cassisnouveau) June 25, 2024
Folks in Oakland aren’t buying it. Over the weekend, a rally outside City Hall saw protesters waving signs questioning Thao’s whereabouts. The local NAACP chapter hasn’t been shy either, calling for Thao’s resignation and lamenting the dark cloud hanging over the city government. This is just the cherry on top, considering enough signatures have already been gathered to put a recall question on the November ballot.
Notably absent from Thao’s emotional rebuttal were answers to several burning questions. Why did federal agents also raid the homes of David Duong and his son Andrew, bigwigs of California Waste Solutions, a company sitting pretty on a hefty city contract? Furthermore, why did another raid target offices shared by the Duongs and the Vietnamese American Business Association?
As it stands, the FBI is keeping mum on the details of the investigation. Nonetheless, Thao’s fervent declarations and teary-eyed defense provide plenty of amusement for her detractors. Inquiring minds in Oakland—and beyond—wait with bated breath for the next chapter in this unraveling drama.
