Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has issued a defiant and, at times, contradictory response to the recent FBI raid on her home. Her remarks were delivered Monday, a full four days after agents served search warrants at Thao’s house and several other locations connected to a powerful East Bay family.
At the beginning of her remarks, Thao claimed she wasn’t the target of the government’s investigation. She said she was confident she wouldn't be charged with a crime because she has done nothing wrong.
As her statement continued, however, it appeared Thao did have reason to believe the government may be after her. She slammed the FBI, suggesting the raid could be part of a right-wing conspiracy to get her out of office.
“I want to know what probable cause the FBI has. What evidence have they collected that justifies raiding the home of a sitting mayor without notice and without the courtesy of a conversation?,” she asked. “I want to know more about the handful of billionaires from San Francisco and from Piedmont who are hellbent on running me out of office. I want to know why the day following the qualification of a recall election funded by some of the richest people in the Bay Area seemed like the right day to execute a warrant. I want to know how the TV cameras knew to show up on my sleepy residential street so early in the morning to capture footage of the raid. And I want to know why Fox News and Breibart were so prepared to fan the flames and to tell a story that they want to tell–to bend the facts to shape a narrative.”
The mayor added that “this wouldn’t have gone down the way it did if I was rich, if I had gone to elite private schools, or if I had come from money.”
“There are a lot of radical right-wing forces who know they will never win an election in Oakland fair and square… they have built the rules to protect and preserve their power and maintain dominance over the rest of us.”
Thao’s claim that she was raided because of a lack of wealth is hard to swallow. The two other homes that were searched Thursday belong to a very wealthy CEO, David Duong, and his son Andy.
Duong heads California Waste Solutions (Cal Waste), Oakland’s curbside recycling contractor. He’s also the co-chair of the Vietnamese American Business Association (VABA). According to CBS News, in addition to the residences, federal agents served warrants at offices shared by Cal Waste and VABA on Thursday.
More Details Emerge
The FBI hasn't commented on the raids. However, Thao’s former chief of staff Reina Webb says she was interviewed by federal agents and that it was clear to her they were investigating a suspected pay-to-play scheme. Webb resigned in 2022, alleging unethical dealings on the part of Thao and her boyfriend Andre Jones.
Moreover, the lead investigator for Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission told the CBS I-Team that the Duongs are still being investigated for suspected money laundering.
“Court documents we've reviewed allege that Andy Duong arranged contributions to candidates, including Sheng Thao, using straw donors,” CBS reports. “Some of the phony donors allegedly came from Phuc Tran, President of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce. In response, Phuc Tran said he wouldn't cooperate in the investigation based on his Fifth Amendment right ‘to be free from being compelled to incriminate himself.’”
Cal Waste settled a lawsuit with Oakland in 2021 stemming from allegations that it overcharged customers by as much as 550%.
Attention has now turned to a trip that Thao took to Vietnam last year, which was sponsored by VABA. Also in attendance were Alameda County Supervisor Lena Tam, Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez, Oakland Port Commissioner Danny Wan, San Leandro City Manager Bryan Azevedo and actor Danny Glover.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, VABA paid $12,000 a head for the trip. A spokesperson for the Association says they are cooperating and have done nothing wrong.
Mayor Thao was already facing headwinds before Thursday’s raid. She has been accused of incompetence and mishandling of public safety issues in Oakland. A recall effort against her has gotten enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The American Civil Liberties Union has called on Thao to resign. The mayor has flatly refused, saying she will not be “bullied” out of office.
Thao’s public remarks apparently weren’t cleared with her attorney, who resigned on Monday.
Stay tuned for more updates.