Oakland NAACP chapter joins push to oust Mayor Sheng Thao in recall election

In Alameda County, the ballots have been sent out and people could begin mail-in voting as of Monday.  But in Oakland, rather than selecting people to put into office, this election is dominated by efforts to kick people out of office.

One of them is Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao . Just a month into office, she suspended Chief LaRonne Armstrong of the Oakland Police Department and later fired him .

Armstrong's firing enraged many in the Black community and on Monday, the Oakland branch of the NAACP announced they were officially supporting the recall effort.

"Shortly after firing the police chief, we began to see a rise in crime. And today, public safety has become a serious issue," said Executive Board Member Partice Waugh.

"And I don't think she understands what the NAACP means," said Cynthia Adams, the chapter's president. "But today, she does understand. We are recalling Mayor Sheng Thao!"

But Thao is fighting back. On Sunday, she was surrounded by supporters as she urged the voters to reject her recall, pointing out that the campaign against her has been funded almost exclusively by hedge fund operator Philip Dreyfuss.

"Are you going to have a city and a mayor who fights for what is right? Who stands up to special interests? Who isn't afraid to replace entrenched and corrupt managers with competent and committed leaders?" said Thao. "This is our town and this town in not for sale! Vote no on the recall!"

If Thao is recalled in November, city council President Nikki Fortunato Bas would become acting mayor until a special election is held in April. By law, Thao would not be eligible to run in that election.

Thao is not alone in facing a recall vote. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is also fighting to hold on to her office after angering people with her attempts at criminal justice reform that many see as too lenient.

Proponents of her recall, including crime victim families, rallied on Saturday .

"A law is a law. What's right is right. Whatever she ran on, first of all, a lot of these people voted for her, and they are now victims of what she stood for!" said recall organizer Brenda Grisham.

East Bay political strategist Mary Jo Rossi said there are more recalls happening now than ever before.

"And in some of these districts, because we're now in districts in local governments, it's super easy," she said.  "You don't have that many voters that you have to focus on to recall."

That's what happened in the town of Millbrae when two council members were recalled in July simply for refusing to sign a letter opposing a homeless hotel.

"You have a problem with something someone you've elected has done or not done? You can recall," said Rossi. "You're always going to piss someone off and you're always going to make some group unhappy and that's just part of being an elected official. And if you can't take the heat, then I think you get out."

Or be thrown out. You can't please everyone, ever. And in today's scorched-earth political climate, that puts a target on anyone brave...or foolish enough to run for office.