Shen Tao, the Democratic mayor of crime-ridden Oakland, California, is facing a recall election in November after a group of fed-up residents succeeded him.Enough signatures gathered.
The recall movement, Oakland United to Recall Shen Tao, submitted more than 40,000 signatures weeks before the deadline of July 22. To get on the upcoming ballot, the group only needed to gather 25,000 verified signatures.
“You’ve created a public safety crisis.”
“This is a very important step,” said Superior Court Judge Brenda Harvin Forte, who spearheaded the effort.KTVU“This historic achievement marks the first recall in Oakland history, and Oakland voters signed up with a sense of urgency and determination to recall this dishonest and incompetent mayor.”
“Thao’s actions have put Oakland in a bind, but the community is saying, ‘enough is enough. We want Thao gone,'” Harbin-Forte said.
According to the recall activityWebsiteThe group is calling for Thao’s removal for a variety of reasons, including the failure to pay retail theft grants and the firing of former Oakland Police Chief Leron Armstrong, as the area suffers from a crime surge that has forced many businesses to close.
“You have endangered public safety by systematically dismantling the Oakland Police Department and contributed to the city’s reputation as one of the most dangerous in America,” the recall campaign said of Tao. “You wrongfully fired Police Chief Leron Armstrong, which contributed to a surge in serious and violent crime; you delayed the Oakland Police Department’s withdrawal from 20 years of federal monitoring and extended the period that Oakland continues to pay $1 million annually to federal monitors; you admitted to missing a deadline to apply for a grant to combat retail theft; your failure to implement Oakland’s encampment management policies led to open-air drug markets and scrapyards that made Oakland the number one city in the nation for stolen vehicles; you made numerous misleading and false statements to the public; and you failed to keep your promises to appoint a new police chief or declare a state of emergency. In short, you lack the competence, credibility, judgment and ability to lead this once great American city.”
Korean TV The paper reported that the FBI searched Thao’s home on Thursday morning. The reason for the search has not yet been disclosed, but the outlet said the mayor’s office is aware of the FBI’s actions and is referring all questions to the FBI.
“The FBI is conducting court-authorized law enforcement operations in Maiden Lane and cannot provide any additional information at this time,” the FBI said in a statement.
Tao had been scheduled to attend the event on Thursday morning but cancelled.
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