Oakland, California, residents are moving to oust the city’s progressive leaders who have overseen a significant increase in crime and homelessness.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (D), currently battling a recall effort, is entangled in an FBI investigation. Several city staffers were recently forced to turn over records to the bureau in response to a federal grand jury subpoena.
‘Oakland is in a crisis.’
For the first time last week, Thao addressed the news that law enforcement agents raided her home in June, repeatedly noting that she could not share much information due to the “ongoing investigation.”
Thao will face a recall election in November after Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao secured over 25,000 verified signatures ahead of the July 22 deadline. Those behind the recall effort have slammed Thao for firing former Oakland Police Department Chief LeRonne Armstrong and allowing a “surge of serious and violent crimes” that prompted a number of businesses to close.
After Thao’s home was raided, her attorney and chief spokesperson abruptly resigned. She has not been charged with any crime.
Loren Taylor, a Democratic mayoral candidate running to replace Thao, told the San Francisco Chronicle, “To say that this is the worst compilation of troubling, challenging situations that I’ve seen is an understatement.”
“A fiscal crisis, hundreds of millions of dollars, compounded with a public safety crisis that has folks fearful of moving around the city, and businesses leaving town, combined with homelessness crisis that continues to expand despite things getting better in neighboring cities. … This storm of events is the opposite of what Oakland needs right now when we’re trying to rebound as a city, post-pandemic,” Taylor stated.
J.J. Jenkins, a local bartender, described Oakland’s current conditions as “chaos.”
“Every time I think the pendulum has swung, something like Juneteenth [shooting] happens. And I don’t think it’s done yet. It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Jenkins told the Chronicle.
Former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris (D) stated, “Oakland is in a crisis.”
Harris told the Chronicle, “Many of these problems are not new. They continue to evolve. They require ideas and renewed commitment to a plan of execution. The city must get beyond finger-pointing and the blame game as soon as possible.”
West Oakland Pastor Dr. Ken Chambers, who provides homeless services through his church, told the news outlet that crime, homelessness, human trafficking, and prostitution have become a big issue in the city.
“I’ve been in Oakland 58 years. I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s a multitask, problematic, complicated situation,” Chambers told the news outlet.
Thao is not the only progressive politician who will face an upcoming recall election.
George Soros-funded Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price (D), who has gained a soft-on-crime reputation, also made it onto the ballot after a recall effort, which only needed 73,000 verified signatures, submitted roughly 123,000 signatures to election officials. Those behind the recall torched Price for failing public safety and creating a “doom loop” with her “progressive policies and failed leadership.”
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