Just yesterday we learned that Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao will be facing a recall vote this fall. I was expecting the mayor and her team would be out with some effort to change the subject today but I guess that won't be happening. Earlier today the FBI raided Mayor Thao's home in connection with an investigation that is still officially secret.
FBI agents were heard “banging” on the mayor’s door around 6 a.m., neighbor Maribel Sainez told POLITICO, waking up the quiet street in Oakland’s Lincoln Highlands neighborhood.
Thao was escorted out of her home by agents, Sainez added.
After several hours, agents left the house carrying boxes full of evidence. But it turns out Thao's house wasn't the only one in the area that was raided today. Three other locations were connected to a company called California Waste Solutions, which is the largest recycling company in Northern California.
- Home of Mayor Sheng Thao on Maiden Lane in the Oakland Hills
- California Waste Solutions at the Embarcadero
- Home of California Waste Solutions' Andy Duong on View Crest Court
- Home of California Waste Solutions' David and Linda Duong on Skyline Blvd
So what is all of this about? Officially no one will say but some sources appear to be leaking:
An FBI spokesperson told KRON4, “The FBI is conducting court authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane. We are unable to provide additional information at this time.” Jones eventually left the house and declined to talk to reporters.
The raid was related to possible campaign finance violations, a law enforcement source told KRON4.
The local ABC affiliate got a different hint:
BREAKING: Sources tell ABC News that the FBI raid at home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao also involves the IRS and U.S. Postal Service. I just arrived at the scene. Spotted FBI Agent briefly on balcony. pic.twitter.com/KrUb0yL6uk
— Dan Noyes (@dannoyes) June 20, 2024
But the best suggestion what this might be about (that I've seen) comes from the East Bay Times:
A few miles away, law enforcement officials wearing police vests and U.S. Postal Inspection uniforms were seen outside a home on the 12500 block of Skyline Boulevard, a property tied to David Duong. One official there declined to comment.
The Duongs have been the subject of an investigation by the city’s Public Ethics Commission since 2020 over allegations they used “straw donors,” or obscure third-party entities, to funnel money to City Council candidates in past elections.
Thao, a first-term council member at the time, was alleged to have received money through the alleged straw-donor scheme, along with current council members Rebecca Kaplan and Dan Kalb, plus former councilmembers Larry Reid and Lynette Gibson McElhaney.
So maybe part of this goes back several years to the time before Thao became mayor. Also, David Duong, whose house was also raided today, is not only the CEO of California Waste Solutions, he's also chairman of the Vietnamese American Business Association. Last year, that group was involved in an 11-day trade delegation to Vietnam which was led by Mayor Thao. So there are multiple points of connection here but the gist seems to be that Thao may have received funds from the either the company or the association run by the David Duong.
Officially the FBI isn't supposed to comment on ongoing investigations so it could be a while before we learn more details. But obviously having the FBI raid your house is not a good look especially when your tenure is already on the bubble thanks to the recall.
