(KRON) — After Oakland residents fired their mayor and district attorney with recalls, who is calling the shots in City Hall and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office? Leadership will remain in limbo this November.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao conceded her defeat on Friday after election results showed her trailing in the polls 64 percent to 36 percent. District Attorney Pamela Price also suffered a resounding loss with 65 percent to 35 percent.
Thao declared that the election outcome “isn’t about me. It never has been. It has always been about Oakland. I am deeply proud of the progress we created together and I am committed to ensuring we stay on track by supporting a smooth transition.”
Price has yet to come out and say anything about the November election’s outcome.
Both Thao and Price were in their first terms of office, and held their positions for just two years. Oakland Police Officer’s Association president Huy Nguyen described their short tenures as disasters marred by “arrogance” and “progressive leftist policies.”
Nguyen said, “Tremendous damage has been done by both Thao and Price. Thao and the city council majority misspent taxpayer money and kicked judgement day down the road. Oakland will likely be bankrupt. The next few years will be excruciatingly difficult because of Price and Thao’s reckless and purposeful destruction of victims rights and defunding of police.”
Thao said, after the recall is certified by elections officials and the city council, she will vacate her office in December, Politico reported. Within the next 120 days, the city must hold a special election to decide who will take over City Hall, according to Politico.
On Monday, KRON4 asked the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office about who is in charge. The ACDAO’s spokesperson did not respond to KRON4’s inquiry.
A new district attorney will be selected by the Board of Supervisors in February 2025.
Price’s progressive criminal justice policies and background as a defense attorney sparked concerns and frustrations over public safety. Nancy O’Malley, who served three terms as DA, said Price was unqualified to hold public office.
Board of Supervisors president Nate Miley said, “We would be looking for someone who is a seasoned prosecutor because we need to make sure we have someone who has the experience and understands the role of a district attorney. You want to hold people accountable for their behaviors and their actions, particularly if they’re heinous.”
Leaders with the recall campaign, Save Alameda For Everyone, are calling on the board to take immediate actions.
SAFE leaders wrote, “DA Price is actively pursuing the resentencing and reduction of sentences for violent criminals. We ask the Board to place a moratorium on these actions and to ensure that all cases are reviewed by a competent DA.”
The recall campaign is also urging the board to appoint a “temporary DA” until a new DA is chosen in February.
SAFE wrote, “The current temporary DA in line to take over DA responsibilities would be Price appointed Chief Assistant District Attorney Rayl Roberts and, with no disrespect, has less than 2 years experience in a District Attorney’s office and was only sworn in as a lawyer in July 2022. Mr. Roberts lacks the experience necessary.”
Oakland’s ousted mayor said she is proud of what she accomplished. Thao wrote in her concession statement, “The changes we have enacted in these two short years will be felt for generations to come. We also resolved hundreds of encampments, have over 1,500 units of affordable housing in development this year alone, delivered the largest IT investment in our 9-1-1 infrastructure in two decades, (and) installed 290 Flock Cameras.”
Thao did not mention the city’s budget woes, losing the Oakland Athletics baseball team, firing the city’s police chief, nor the FBI raiding her house on Maiden Lane.
(KRON) — After Oakland residents fired their mayor and district attorney with recalls, who is calling the shots in City Hall and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office? Leadership will remain in limbo this November. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao conceded her defeat on Friday after election results showed her trailing in the polls 64 percent […]
Leave a Reply