Staff Reports
A political drama straight out of a soap opera unfolds in Oakland, where outgoing Mayor Sheng Thao is at the center of a growing scandal that reads more like a Hollywood script than reality. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office has connected the mayor and her boyfriend to a local power couple from the Duong family, revealing a scheme to sway the 2022 mayoral election. Picture this: Democratic machinations, secret payments, and enough dollar bills to make a politician’s head spin.
The stage was set back in June when the FBI stormed Thao’s residence, marking the start of a federal public corruption investigation that has overshadowed city politics for months. The buzz in Oakland was palpable, especially considering that Thao faced a significant public backlash, culminating in her recall last November. Who knew that local politics could rival reality television for sheer suspense?
Oakland City Hall criminal corruption probe: California Waste Solutions supported Sheng Thao to rake in taxpayer funds, prosecutors say in new legal filing. https://t.co/l3ryxGALUo
— Sam Singer (@samsinger) December 10, 2024
Amid this chaos, juicy details have recently emerged connecting Thao to California Waste Solutions, a recycling firm run by the affluent Duong family. According to the court filings, they allegedly financed secret payments to a political operative, Mario Juarez, who was instrumental in getting Thao elected. The idea was straightforward: if Thao could secure her position as mayor, she’d direct lucrative contracts to the Duong family’s business. It sounds as though the only thing absent from this scenario is a villain twirling their mustache.
The facts reveal that the Duongs and their associates funneled roughly $295,000 to Juarez before and after the contentious election. Alarmingly, some of this money was used to create racially charged political mailers aimed at Thao’s rivals. All this mess traces back to a prior criminal complaint against Juarez for writing bad checks, painting the picture of a truly dubious character at the heart of this scheme. If only Oakland could hire a shrink who specializes in political neuroses; they might uncover the deeper realities behind these shady dealings.
And just when it appeared things couldn’t possibly get worse for Thao, reports surfaced about her boyfriend, Andre Jones, being implicated in the same shadowy web of cash. Once upon a time, he worked at the California Bureau of Cannabis Control and has come under scrutiny following accusations of corruption from Thao’s former chief of staff. The only thing missing from this scandal is a montage showing Thao’s meteoric rise dashed against the rocks of political accountability.
Thao’s tenure has been marked by controversy since the outset. She faced immediate criticism for her decision to fire the popular Oakland Police Chief, subsequently bearing the brunt of the city’s skyrocketing crime rates. Police unions have issued harsh critiques, drawing attention to soaring instances of violence and disorder. As her name fades from the political limelight, it serves as a reminder that the path to power can be fraught with peril, especially when corruption becomes part of the equation. Thao may be the first Hmong American woman to serve as mayor of a major city, but her legacy could soon be defined not by her historic milestone, but by scandal, failed policies, and a massive federal probe.
In a city wracked by crime and chaos, perhaps Oakland residents will be looking for leaders who have a bit more accountability and a little less scandal in their repertoire.
