Democrats are in full control of nearly every major city in the country.
That’s a big reason why our cities are falling apart.
And one prominent Democrat is in serious trouble after an FBI raid.
New York Mayor Eric Adams has company in the sitting-mayors-raided-by-the-FBI club.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao recently had her home raided amid allegations of a pay-for-play scheme orchestrated by Thao’s boyfriend Andre Jones.
Mayor speaks out
Thao made a public statement and said, “I want to be crystal clear. I have done nothing wrong. I can tell you with confidence that this investigation is not about me.”
Despite her claim of innocence, Thao spokesman Francis Zamora resigned shortly after news of the raid.
Zamora said, “I resigned my position as Chief of Communications. I thank my colleagues for their professionalism and dedication. It was an honor to serve the City of Oakland beside them.”
His resignation came two days after Thao’s attorney Tony Brass resigned.
An FBI raid and a slew of resignations is not a good look.
Thao continued in her statement, “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. . .I want to know more about the handful of billionaires from San Francisco and Piedmont who are hell-bent 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.”
Thao seems to be playing the woman-of-the-people card, but that might not play.
For starters, her own former top aide is calling for her to resign.
Top confidante throws her under the bus
Former Chief of Staff Renia Webb, who also resigned, called out her former boss.
Webb told reporters, “A lot of what’s coming out now is the reason I resigned shortly there after winning the election that we fought so hard to win. . .I wasn’t surprised [by the raid]. I was like, ‘Finally. Finally, the truth is coming out.’”
Webb alleged that Jones was promising people jobs before the election.
She continued, “I had found out that Andre, her boyfriend, was promising people jobs in our administration, promising people appointments on different commissions and boards. . .I definitely believe that, out of the mouth of the people that told me, they were promised positions, they were promised board positions. And [they would always say] Andre, you know? That’s who they would say, ‘Andre promised me this.’”
She added, “It’s sad. He’s making her do things, pushing her to do things that I don’t believe she would do otherwise. I just really don’t.”
The Oakland NAACP also called for Thao to resign.
The organization wrote in a statement, “While the public should refrain from a rush to judgment, the leadership of the NAACP and its members are calling on Mayor Sheng Thao to resign immediately and spare the city the cost of a recall. . .Oaklanders deserve a mayor who is not distracted, fully committed, and able to lead the city. Clearly, Mayor Thao cannot focus on the needs of the residents of Oakland while she addresses the major challenges posed by the FBI raid and investigation.”
It certainly seems like the walls are closing in on Thao.
Sports franchises like the Oakland A’s leaving the city is the least of her worries.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.
