San Francisco, California Local News
Oakland NAACP calls for Mayor Sheng Thao to resign after FBI raid
[ad_1]
(KRON) — The Oakland chapter of the NAACP called for Mayor Sheng Thao to resign after her house was raided by the FBI on Thursday morning. Thao is currently facing a recall effort.
FBI agents arrived at Thao’s property on the 100 block of Maiden Lane at about 5:30 a.m. and left hours later carrying bags and boxes. KRON4 sources say the raid is related to alleged campaign finance violations.
The NAACP said that while it does not support a rush to judgment, Oakland needs a mayor “who is not distracted.”
“The City of Oakland has a cloud hanging over it today. The world watched as Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by the FBI. 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,” NAACP Oakland President Cynthia Adams said.
On Tuesday, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters confirmed that the effort to recall Thao had enough signatures to appear on the November ballot. The petition has 40,595 signatures, which easily clears the 25,000 needed to force a recall election.
“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,” Adams said.
Adams went on to mention that Oakland is facing “a massive budget deficit” and local businesses closing.
Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao (OUST), the group attempting to get her out of office, called for her to resign as well on Thursday.
“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. “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.”
The raid came hours after 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration near Lake Merritt. A celebration that was peaceful for most of the day descended into violence and chaos when a sideshow and a fight broke out.
Former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who was fired by Thao in early 2023, was critical of city leadership in a statement released in response to the shooting.
“This is a sad day for the City of Oakland. Oakland is a city in crisis. Crime, violence, shootings, uncontrolled homelessness, unmitigated encampments, the budget deficit and more. The biggest obstacle to overcoming these crises are the failures of leadership in City Hall. Even before today’s news, some city leaders have done nothing to help–and much to hurt—our city,” he said in part.
Read the NAACP’s full statement below:
“The City of Oakland has a cloud hanging over it today. The world watched as Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by the FBI. 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.
The City of Oakland continues to face a public safety crisis and just experienced a tragic mass shooting where 17 people were injured during a Juneteenth celebration. The city is also facing a massive budget deficit including the freezing of positions and loss of critical city services. Businesses are closing every day, and this incident only contributes to the decline in the city’s reputation and makes it harder to attract new businesses to Oakland.The mayor should resign and give the city an opportunity to heal and move forward. We are asking everyone to please keep those impacted by violent crime and the safety of all the residents of Oakland in their prayers.
[ad_2]
Phil Mayer
Source link
