Oakland’s Democratic mayor, Shen Tao, will face a recall on the November ballot after community activists gathered nearly double the number of signatures needed to enforce the conditions, according to multiple reports.
Oakland United to Recall Shen Tao (OUST) submitted the petition two weeks ago, and on Wednesday Alameda County officials confirmed it had met the threshold of 25,000 voter signatures.
Brenda Harbin-Forte, a former judge who spearheaded the recall effort, told local media that Tao “is aThere’s blood on her hands“We’re seeing an increase in crime, car thefts, people being robbed on the street.”
“Before she took office, we had never seen businesses leaving Oakland at this rate,” Harvin-Forte told the local ABC affiliate.
OUST also disputed recall supporters’ claims that the Oakland Police Department has been “dismantled” under Thao’s watch.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Harbin Forte for further comment, but she declined to comment further. FOX affiliate KTVU He called the recall a “historic achievement” that would give voters “a sense of urgency and purpose in recalling this dishonest and incompetent mayor.”
Fox News Digital also reached out to Tao’s office but had not received a response at the time of publication.
City Councilman Noel Gallo, one of the opponents of the recall, told KGO that a recall could create more division within city government, but he supports voters having the right to voice their concerns.
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Recall supporters ultimately gathered 40,595 valid signatures on the recall petition.
The signers, recorded in a video posted by OUST, complained about homeless encampments and car break-ins, with one resident saying the conditions were the worst he’d seen in the city since he moved there in 1985.
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Other allegations and criticisms by organizers included Thao’s failure to meet deadlines for grant funding to combat retail theft (for which the mayor later admitted responsibility) and the firing of Police Chief Leron Armstrong.
They also criticized Tao for saying MLB’s Oakland Athletics “will not be missed” in response to their decision to relocate to Las Vegas, now home to the former NFL team, Oakland Raiders.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., for comment.
