FBI agents armed with warrants showed up at Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home at 5:30 a.m. Thursday for an early moring raid.
Although they left with boxes, they gave no indication of what the law enforcement action was about:
In an emailed statement to CBS News Bay Area, the FBI said, “The FBI is conducting court authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane. We are unable to provide additional information at this time.”
Just after 10 a.m., several FBI agents emerged from the home carrying boxes as news crews staked out positions across the street. It was unclear what the agents were seeking or what was seized.
FBI NOW CLEAR FROM OAKLAND MAYOR SHENG THAO’S HOUSE. Good law-enforcement source tells me this is a public corruption investigation of Thao and her boyfriend. pic.twitter.com/LnQbrs3NPp
— Dan Noyes (@dannoyes) June 20, 2024
Oakland has not fared well under Thao’s watch.
Related:
America’s Worst-Run City Should Come As No Surprise
COLLAPSE: Oakland Business Owner Says Crime Epidemic ‘Worst I’ve Ever Seen It’
The mayor is under threat of a recall, and on Tuesday, officials announced that enough signatures had been collected for the effort to continue. It would appear she’s made plenty of enemies:
The move to recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao took another step forward on Tuesday.
Organizers of the effort turned in the petition weeks ahead of the July 22 deadline. On Tuesday, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters said there were enough signatures.
According to recall organizers, they needed 24,644 valid signatures, but they turned in a petition with more than 40,000 signatures.
The lead recall petitioner is retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte. She is also a former member of the Oakland Police Commission, which Thao removed her from in 2023.
Recall supporters have said the recall is justified for several reasons, including crime, the city’s financial struggles, the way Thao fired former police chief LeRonne Armstrong and her administration’s mishandling of a state crime grant application that cost the city $15 million in lost funding.
According to reports, Thao rented the residence, and at least three more houses will receive FBI visits in the near future. It’s unclear if Thao rents or owns those locations.
According to a law enforcement source, this raid is just one of four locations in Oakland that will be searched by the FBI.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao reportedly has FOUR houses in Oakland.
So while the violent crime rate is almost four times as high in Oakland as in most the rest of America, she’s found a way to get very rich.
How is Thao profiting so much as her constituents are ravaged by crime? pic.twitter.com/uE1LRFut4P
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) June 20, 2024
This is a breaking story, and RedState will bring you more information as it becomes available.
