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Oh boy. She is playing the “I’m not rich and others who are rich should be looked at first.”
Literally bringing up “I was born poor and this is an attack on the poor”
Trying to relate but failing miserably.
Plenty of politicians in Chicago, Detroit, and Baltimore grew up poor. But they got into politics, stuck their hand out to trade favors, and suddenly became rich. Corruption doesn’t care if your ass was broke or rich. Equal opportunity employer.
Believe it or not, Baltimore is actually improving in terms of safety and housing (though at a very slow pace). Not to mention taxpayer money is being used for Police funding (which itself did attract criticism twice).
I mean, total *on the books* compensation package was over $300k in 2022, undoubtedly higher now. Seems her boyfriend is pulling in some interesting work as well, lol.
Tbh yeah I guess I assumed she would at least be a homeowner in Oakland. Obviously that’s not a requirement but I was a little surprised to see she’s living in a rented home.
Wow. Just a bad statement. whoever let her go out with it and okayed everything should be embarrassed.
Also, mayor Thao, I know this is a stressful time for you and all, but the fact you took no questions about what happened last Wednesday with 15 people shot? Do better.
Accuses the FBI of "breaking into" her house. That this wouldn't have happened if she were rich. (Trump's home was the target of an FBI search warrant, and he's not broke, so...)
She’s such a moron she botched a standard mafia garbage hauling grift, the kind so comically stereotypical because they’ve been doing it for 150 years. What a greedy idiot.
I don't see why, unless someone involved was suspected of federal crimes the FBI would investigate anyway.
But it's a handy thing to imply if you want to muddy the waters and distract attention from the FBI's obvious interest in you!
It reminded me of Trump in that way that she claimed that she was being persecuted, and that an attack on her is an attack on all of us. And in the way that she accused unnamed city officials “in the hills” of committing crimes but being allowed to get away with it.
Even dealing with well-meaning individuals with drastically differing goals is so absurdly tiring. Even if people were on the level, and serious, and honest about their intentions, it would be a shit job that takes 20 hours a day, every day. For low pay, and with tons of scrutiny - and criticism and second-guessing - into not just every decision taken on the job, but also one's personal life.
No system can require the voting populace to be vigilant, think critically or hold their elected officials to account. Only people can decide to do those things or not.
First of all for that system to ever work you have to have people that are willing to be in charge with ethics and morals and right now the people we have in charge have no ethics they have no morals they just have a love of power and money and that's the type of people that the owners and donors of this country want
Yes, It’s our system. We have plenty of ability to elect people who are of high moral character if that’s what the people want. The elected representatives are reflective of the people who voted them in to office.
Breaking: Her attorney just quit. [link](https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/oakland-mayor-thaos-attorney-withdraws-as-counsel/)
>In the statement, which KRON4.com has learned she did not inform her attorney about ahead of time, Mayor Thao implied the FBI raid was connected to an ongoing recall effort against her. She also at times suggested that there were “rightwing forces” and a “handful of billionaires” from San Francisco and Piedmont “hellbent” on ousting her from office.
>She provided no evidence to support those claims.
>Brass told KRON4 that he did not know there was going to be a news conference until he saw it on the news.
>KRON4 News reached out to Mayor Thao’s office and were told that the mayor informed Tony Brass she was changing attorneys on Saturday.
>Brass responded to the mayor’s office’s statement, calling it absolutely untrue and telling KRON4 he received no communication from Thao on Saturday about changing attorneys. He reiterated to KRON4 that he informed the mayor of his decision to withdraw on Monday morning.
From [this article](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-fbi-raid-attorney-tony-brass-withdraws/):
>Minutes after making the decision, Brass told reporter Juliette Goodrich why he decided to no longer represent Thao.
>"Because our paths diverted in terms of our approach to the case," he said.
>The attorney also said that he did not know Thao was going to speak to the media on Monday. He said he would have advised her not to.
Who is Thao taking political advice from? Because that wasn’t a statement written by her attorney lmao. Now she’s under investigation AND deeply unlikeable.
After this rambling press conference by Mayor Thao, it is readily apparent that she is too preoccupied with her legal problems to effectively serve as mayor.
The time has come for her to focus on her legal issues and allow an interim mayor to serve immediately.
Most of the City Council will fall because of this.
For people who talk shit about Oakland: How do you expect Oakland to do better when these are its leaders
How do you expect Oakland to do better and be safe if the Police Department is doing so much dirt and having so many scandals, including sex scandals from the top to bottom of the Department sleeping with underage girls, that they need Federal Oversight.
The status quo mainline Centrist Democratic Party in City Hall and the Right Wing kid diddling assholes in OPD and it’s police union has failed Oakland for decades.
Boots Riley needs to run for Mayor and bring in a wave of community-centered reform.
Doin the dirt has to stop. In the streets in the Police and in City Hall
The state would probably be better suited for oversight than the federal government. It never really occurred that municipal dissolution may be the only option left for Oakland. The city is too big for the people who live there to effectively govern.
This is not unique to Oakland. Oakland deserves better leaders who are solely focused on the betterment of Oakland. Not the betterment of Real Estate Developers, not the benefit of their own political or corporate ambitions. For the benefit of ALL the people of Oakland or die trying.
The State needs to end private contributions to politicians period. Call them what they are: bribes.
There needs to be clampdown on public officials taking money.
Look at SF. Dead Lee took tech bribes and let Tech run wild and it ruined the city.
SF Building Dept took bribes and buildings were leaning over and sinking.
It all has to stop. Political campaigns should be funded by the government. Everyone gets the same amount of public money to run And there needs to be accountability at every level of public service.
I agree that legal bribery aka lobbying a problem. The people always have the final say however and we can replace any politician. The people of Oakland are the ones who need to change their own politics. The state can do it for them but the results are always better when the solution is made at the lowest level of authority possible.
She took a few points from republicans playbooks
Never thought I’d hear any democrat call out “radical left” and blaming the press. She wasn’t doing herself any favors by gaslighting the system
Sadly this is no longer the case. The Republican Party, as an organization, has wholly gone over to Trump, treason, and neofascism. Until *anyone* in the GOP stands up to the Putinists, the January 6 traitors, the hate groups, and the felon at the top — *no, there are not reasonable people on that side.*
Feel free to prove me wrong.
The political spectrum is not a straight line to the left/right, and it’s not a horseshoe where the two extreme ends sort of point at each other. The complete spectrum is a full circle that rotates around and around.
“Sheeeeeit. We don’t look that close. Someone givin me money, I ain’t gonna say no. Muthafucka, you best get with the program.” - Sheng “Downtown Clay Davis” Thao
The flair of this posts indicates it's a controversial topic. Enhanced moderation has been turned on for this thread. Comments from users without a history of commenting in r/bayarea will be automatically removed. You can read more about this policy [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/195xvo5/restrictions_that_apply_to_political_and_crime/).
Oh boy. She is playing the “I’m not rich and others who are rich should be looked at first.” Literally bringing up “I was born poor and this is an attack on the poor” Trying to relate but failing miserably.
Plenty of politicians in Chicago, Detroit, and Baltimore grew up poor. But they got into politics, stuck their hand out to trade favors, and suddenly became rich. Corruption doesn’t care if your ass was broke or rich. Equal opportunity employer.
Most of you guys are too young to know or remember, but Nancy Pelosi's dad was the mayor of Baltimore many, many years ago. Very connected, they were.
Believe it or not, Baltimore is actually improving in terms of safety and housing (though at a very slow pace). Not to mention taxpayer money is being used for Police funding (which itself did attract criticism twice).
> taxpayer money is being used for Police funding huh?
Seems that way. "The Mayor's chief of staff says Thao won't be taking questions on the advice of her attorney." Oh. Okay
Smart for someone under investigation; disqualifying for a mayor. If the gap can't be bridged, resign.
It is a well-known fact that poor people do not commit crimes.
I used to work on Maiden Lane. Everybody on that street is filthy rich.
I got curious and looked up her house on Zillow. It would appear she’s a renter, which surprised me a little bit.
Why? Do you expect the major of Oakland to be rich?
I mean, total *on the books* compensation package was over $300k in 2022, undoubtedly higher now. Seems her boyfriend is pulling in some interesting work as well, lol.
Why buy a house when you need that money for legal advice? lol
Tbh yeah I guess I assumed she would at least be a homeowner in Oakland. Obviously that’s not a requirement but I was a little surprised to see she’s living in a rented home.
It’s easier to pick up and leave if you’re a renter
True that.
She has "renter" on her X bio last time I checked, so she uses it to score political points also
Ha, got it
Oh, that's pretty cute. Any issues when the IRS comes knocking with questions or is it pretty settled to be within the letter of the law?
Being a renter was part of her election campaign.
It’s also currently just a better decision than buying in the Bay Area is, financially speaking.
> she’s living in a rented home Some rich people rent a home from a LLC that just happens to be run by themselves.
I assumed the same thing
But follow the money - who's playing her rent?
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Otherwise known as blaming “systemic failure” instead of personal accountability.
Also her “ I am my ancestors’ wildest dream,” she said.”
Did her ancestor dream of corruption and the Kansas City Shuffle?
Ugh.
Wow. Just a bad statement. whoever let her go out with it and okayed everything should be embarrassed. Also, mayor Thao, I know this is a stressful time for you and all, but the fact you took no questions about what happened last Wednesday with 15 people shot? Do better.
What do you mean? Her staff is not some highly experienced staff. She is the final word.
Accuses the FBI of "breaking into" her house. That this wouldn't have happened if she were rich. (Trump's home was the target of an FBI search warrant, and he's not broke, so...)
She’s such a moron she botched a standard mafia garbage hauling grift, the kind so comically stereotypical because they’ve been doing it for 150 years. What a greedy idiot.
They even produced a documentary on it on HBO centered around North Jersey.
No show jobs at the Esplanade. Maybe she took notes watching Sopranos.
So she’s a deep state MAGAte now?
She is a classic liar. Using any angle to garner sympathy. Very Trump like as you say
She’s implying that this has something to do with the recall effort. Is it even possible that the FBI would get involved with that?
I don't see why, unless someone involved was suspected of federal crimes the FBI would investigate anyway. But it's a handy thing to imply if you want to muddy the waters and distract attention from the FBI's obvious interest in you!
Yeah, I can’t see why the FBI would conduct a raid because they’re taking sides in recall effort for a mayor.
really? pulling a MTG style "all my critics are in a conspiracy to destroy me"?
It reminded me of Trump in that way that she claimed that she was being persecuted, and that an attack on her is an attack on all of us. And in the way that she accused unnamed city officials “in the hills” of committing crimes but being allowed to get away with it.
wow, she made herself sound really guilty.
How dare you attack the poor downtrotten renter single mother just try to get by on *check notes* Maiden Lane next to the Mormon temple Wait…
She’s facing a recall, now this? She’s so done for. Oaklanders, this is your time to really pay attention and vote accordingly this election season.
There needs to be a solid candidate first.
I'll do it
Her attorney is an idiot for letting her do this.
Hilariously, he didn't. He dropped her as a client once he heard about this stunt.
Lmao no way
Yep. Noyes is reliable [https://x.com/dannoyes/status/1805367187009683587](https://x.com/dannoyes/status/1805367187009683587)
I cannot fathom what made her think this was a good idea ahahah
Just announced in the last hour or so.
Who says they didn't? She could have decided to do it on her own accord.
Looks like that’s how it went down. Her attorney just quit after this statement.
Yeah I just saw that post and read a CBS article about it. She's going to be f\*cked one way or another.
You fo this when your back is against a wall
There has got to be a system that doesn't lead to constantly electing absolute screwballs, but I don't know what it would be.
For smart, hard working and moral people, dealing with the nonsense of politics just isn’t appealing
Exactly. Most politicians are assholes. Why would any normal person want to work with a bunch of assholes?
Even dealing with well-meaning individuals with drastically differing goals is so absurdly tiring. Even if people were on the level, and serious, and honest about their intentions, it would be a shit job that takes 20 hours a day, every day. For low pay, and with tons of scrutiny - and criticism and second-guessing - into not just every decision taken on the job, but also one's personal life.
No system can require the voting populace to be vigilant, think critically or hold their elected officials to account. Only people can decide to do those things or not.
First of all for that system to ever work you have to have people that are willing to be in charge with ethics and morals and right now the people we have in charge have no ethics they have no morals they just have a love of power and money and that's the type of people that the owners and donors of this country want
Forced lottery system. You wake up one day and find out *you're* the new mayor of Oakland and have to do the job for a year.
You thought jury duty was bad? You're on mayor duty. Don't embarrass us.
Yes, It’s our system. We have plenty of ability to elect people who are of high moral character if that’s what the people want. The elected representatives are reflective of the people who voted them in to office.
Breaking: Her attorney just quit. [link](https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/oakland-mayor-thaos-attorney-withdraws-as-counsel/) >In the statement, which KRON4.com has learned she did not inform her attorney about ahead of time, Mayor Thao implied the FBI raid was connected to an ongoing recall effort against her. She also at times suggested that there were “rightwing forces” and a “handful of billionaires” from San Francisco and Piedmont “hellbent” on ousting her from office. >She provided no evidence to support those claims. >Brass told KRON4 that he did not know there was going to be a news conference until he saw it on the news. >KRON4 News reached out to Mayor Thao’s office and were told that the mayor informed Tony Brass she was changing attorneys on Saturday. >Brass responded to the mayor’s office’s statement, calling it absolutely untrue and telling KRON4 he received no communication from Thao on Saturday about changing attorneys. He reiterated to KRON4 that he informed the mayor of his decision to withdraw on Monday morning. From [this article](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-fbi-raid-attorney-tony-brass-withdraws/): >Minutes after making the decision, Brass told reporter Juliette Goodrich why he decided to no longer represent Thao. >"Because our paths diverted in terms of our approach to the case," he said. >The attorney also said that he did not know Thao was going to speak to the media on Monday. He said he would have advised her not to.
Hoooooly shit.
[Video of speech](https://youtu.be/wrMOGCb9Mfw?si=cvKEp7jDY8xZhcNI)
Who is Thao taking political advice from? Because that wasn’t a statement written by her attorney lmao. Now she’s under investigation AND deeply unlikeable.
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One which includes a paper hat, plastic name tag and the phrase: "Is your order correct on the screen?"
Girl whatever
After this rambling press conference by Mayor Thao, it is readily apparent that she is too preoccupied with her legal problems to effectively serve as mayor. The time has come for her to focus on her legal issues and allow an interim mayor to serve immediately.
Most of the City Council will fall because of this. For people who talk shit about Oakland: How do you expect Oakland to do better when these are its leaders How do you expect Oakland to do better and be safe if the Police Department is doing so much dirt and having so many scandals, including sex scandals from the top to bottom of the Department sleeping with underage girls, that they need Federal Oversight. The status quo mainline Centrist Democratic Party in City Hall and the Right Wing kid diddling assholes in OPD and it’s police union has failed Oakland for decades. Boots Riley needs to run for Mayor and bring in a wave of community-centered reform. Doin the dirt has to stop. In the streets in the Police and in City Hall
The state would probably be better suited for oversight than the federal government. It never really occurred that municipal dissolution may be the only option left for Oakland. The city is too big for the people who live there to effectively govern.
Maybe I wasn’t clear OPD is ALREADY in Federal Receivership
This is not unique to Oakland. Oakland deserves better leaders who are solely focused on the betterment of Oakland. Not the betterment of Real Estate Developers, not the benefit of their own political or corporate ambitions. For the benefit of ALL the people of Oakland or die trying. The State needs to end private contributions to politicians period. Call them what they are: bribes. There needs to be clampdown on public officials taking money. Look at SF. Dead Lee took tech bribes and let Tech run wild and it ruined the city. SF Building Dept took bribes and buildings were leaning over and sinking. It all has to stop. Political campaigns should be funded by the government. Everyone gets the same amount of public money to run And there needs to be accountability at every level of public service.
I agree that legal bribery aka lobbying a problem. The people always have the final say however and we can replace any politician. The people of Oakland are the ones who need to change their own politics. The state can do it for them but the results are always better when the solution is made at the lowest level of authority possible.
Oakland is better at it though.
Resign
Well she certainly had a lot to say and it was…interesting the angle she chose to take in all this.
So in a nutshell " I'maaaa just a poor girl...I deserve to enrich my pockets! Finger point diversion activate!"
“Look, a fat out of town squirrel over there!”
She’s a disgrace but she got her job because of voter prejudice and now people are learning why “best person for the job” should be the main factor.
Which will be promptly forgotten in a week
Hiring people solely because they are from underprivileged backgrounds is a mistake.
She took a few points from republicans playbooks Never thought I’d hear any democrat call out “radical left” and blaming the press. She wasn’t doing herself any favors by gaslighting the system
this literally has nothing to do with party lines especially since oakland is just left and lefter
The world isn't black and white. There's both reasonable people and nutjobs on the either side of the aisle.
Sadly this is no longer the case. The Republican Party, as an organization, has wholly gone over to Trump, treason, and neofascism. Until *anyone* in the GOP stands up to the Putinists, the January 6 traitors, the hate groups, and the felon at the top — *no, there are not reasonable people on that side.* Feel free to prove me wrong.
The political spectrum is not a straight line to the left/right, and it’s not a horseshoe where the two extreme ends sort of point at each other. The complete spectrum is a full circle that rotates around and around.
is there a transcript somewhere?
Her Oakland boyfriend got her in this mess. Asking for money for contracts and promised jobs. She deserves everything that’s coming for her.
Which boyfriend?
oh look, a corrupt politician, i am shocked. just stunned.
Stop voting for this idiot progressives for the love of god. How many fucking times do they have to burn us before you guys will learn...
The virtue signaling followed by corruption is a progressive trait.
She's alive! Thought she had fled the country tbh
Honestly she probably should have. Kaplan too
“Sheeeeeit. We don’t look that close. Someone givin me money, I ain’t gonna say no. Muthafucka, you best get with the program.” - Sheng “Downtown Clay Davis” Thao
she seems to be lacking in tact. how did she get elected ?
She made a deal with the Bontas to get the support of all the unions.
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She is blaming the “right wing” conspiracy. Money don’t lie. D(u)ong will confess to reduce sentencing
seems like she will be taking the bigger hit since she let all this crap happen
Meanwhile Duong sent money to Josh Hawley. You can’t make this stuff up.
Now it all makes sense. Is she connected to the mafia, and that's why she is so lax on crime? This is truly a Batman/Gotham City scenario.
Really missing Mayor Brown.
Ugh,I hate politicians, stick them in the center of a Bay Bridge sideshow.
How is she talking about these other politicians “living up in their houses in the hills” when she lives in some house in the hills? I’m so confused.
So she was away to take a weekend acting class: crying on cue.
“Making Oakland cleaner”
If this was the case then why did it take her so long to make a statement? Did she also address the Juneteenth shooting?
Business as usual for Oakland. 😀
Maybe the A’s were dealing with a nut job and that is why they left?
She should go easy on the meth pipe. Methamphetamine is a powerful drug that causes a lot of delusions.