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The FBI showed up around 6 a.m. on Thursday, to bang on the door of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Apparently, they’re much more interested in her boyfriend, Andre Jones. At least, for now. Thao’s lawyer swears up and down that she did nothing wrong, no matter what her boyfriend promised in alleged conspiracy with the Duong family. Whatever it was seems to have greased a little paid vacation for Thao. As reported by The Mirror, “the mayor’s first official trip last year, to Vietnam, was co-sponsored by the Vietnamese American Business Association, which was formed by a member of the Duong family, leading to speculation that the FBI may be investigating allegations of influence peddling.”
FBI Raids ‘multiple properties’
The Oakland Mayor’s home wasn’t the only one raided by the the FBI for the same investigation on Thursday, June 20. The home and business of campaign donor Andy Duong were also stormed.
He happens to be part owner of California Waste Solutions. The recycling company “was previously investigated over campaign contributions to Thao.”
One of the FBI warrants was served at 1211 Embarcadero Way in Oakland. Not only is that address home to California Waste Solutions, it’s also the official address for the headquarters of the Vietnamese American Business Association.
BREAKING: FBI raids home of Oakland, California Mayor Sheng Thao in a “public corruption investigation” involving her and her boyfriend pic.twitter.com/UsVRvnwVUV
— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) June 20, 2024
Public records confirm that “the organization is run by the Duong family.” They’re influential enough that they “led a U.S. business delegation to Vietnam last year.”
Attorney Tony Brass, representing Thao, was quick to issue a statement denying any wrongdoing. Thao’s home may have been raided by the FBI but his client “is not the target of the relevant investigation.” She’s also “ready, willing and able to cooperate fully with federal investigators. She has nothing to hide.”
To him, it’s nothing but a show for the cameras. “It’s unfortunate that she has had to endure the bad optics of having this search warrant executed on her home.” The Federal Bureau of Instigation could have been a little more polite. “She would have cooperated with this investigation without the need for this search.”
Not a popular mayor
Video of the FBI raiding your home is never good but the timing is especially bad for Thao because she’s fighting for her political career. The controversial mayor is “facing a recall vote amid a crime wave and municipal fiscal challenges.”
Neighbor Maribel Sainez informed reporters that the agents woke up the “quiet street” and escorted Thao out. Her lawyer is prompt to add that she wasn’t arrested and neither was anyone else.
All the bureau will confirm is that they were conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity.” Thao is really unpopular with her constituents over “the city’s crime rates and the departure of the Oakland A’s baseball team.” She’s up against a recall vote this November.
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
Thao’s former chief-of-staff Renia Webb is quick to throw Andre Jones under the bus, telling the Mirror that she’s certain that the FBI raid is “over pay-to-play allegations against her boyfriend.” She’s been interviewed more than once in connection.
Webb already told the feds everything she knows about his “typical pay-to-play corruption, including an attempt to lobby for jobs for Thao’s donors and allies.”
She also answered a whole bunch of FBI questions about “board appointments, about contracts, about Andy, you know about the Duong family.“
