FBI raids Oakland Mayor Sheng Thaos home, voters want answers
Oakland voters demand answers and accountability after the FBI raid on Mayor Sheng Thaos home. Some are asking her to resign or at least to say something
The FBI would not directly confirm what they were investigating on Maiden Lane. Thao listed the Maiden Lane address on her public campaign election forms.
“The FBI is conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane. We are unable to provide additional information at this time,” the department said.
FBI raids home belonging to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao
The FBI would not directly confirm what they were investigating on Maiden Lane. Thao listed the Maiden Lane address on her public campaign election forms.
Thao was not seen at the home when agents carried out the raid Thursday morning. A person pulled up to the home but declined to speak with reporters.
The two other locations were also associated with the Duong family, on View Crest Court and Skyline Boulevard. The location on Skyline Boulevard also had postal inspectors present in addition to FBI officers.
He was awoken by agents shouting “This is the FBI, we have a warrant for your arrest. Come out with your hands up and nothing in your hands,” he said. “The question is, is this tied into the mayor?’
The IRS also confirmed with KTVU that their criminal investigation agents were at the scene of Cal Waste on Embarcadero for law enforcement reasons.
However, authorities did not confirm if these investigations were related in any manner.
Nina Medina, a retired detective with the National Latino Peace Officer’s Association, who was staying with her family next door, traveled from Southern California to meet with the new police chief, Floyd Mitchell.
Thao has been criticized for mismanaging the city, but she has never faced any criminal allegations. She will likely face a recall election in November.
FBI at home tied to Oakland mayor
FBI agents conducted an investigation at a home on a street associated with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on Thursday morning.
“While the FBI raid does not prove her guilt in the ongoing investigation, we already have multiple smoking guns indicating Thao’s lack of fitness for public office,” said Brenda Harbin-Forte for Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao in a statement. “OUST calls on the numerous individuals and organizations that endorsed Mayor Thao to speak out on these recent events. They spent millions to get Thao elected, and all of these relationships are now called into question.”
Thao was scheduled to attend a press conference in San Francisco on Thursday; however, she did not attend. Organizers of the conference said they were not notified that she would miss the event.
“I’m still reeling from the incident at the Lake and working with the administration to strengthen community safety there,” said Fife.
Bas said in a statement, “As for this morning’s FBI raids, I share the shock felt by many, and I call on all of us to remain focused on the important work of realizing a safe, connected and thriving town.”
The frustrated residents held signs that read “Where’s Sheng Thao?” and “Resign or Recall.”
“Our mayor has failed us. We are here to demand that she resign and stop embarrassing herself and further embarrassing the city of Oakland and further damaging the city of Oakland,” said Tuan Ngo from the Coalition for Community Engagement.
“It is time for a new life in this city to get back to where children can walk to school without dealing with drug paraphernalia on the street, prostitution. It is bad, it is bad and it can be better, if we can get good leaders, with honesty, integrity,” said lifelong resident Sandi Bethune.
“This is the worst I’ve ever seen it, the safety here in Oakland is terrible. We’ve pushed out all our businesses because of that,” he said.
Former police chief LeRonne Armstrong said in a statement:
Oakland’s NAACP called on the mayor to resign and give the city an opportunity to heal and move forward.
