FBI investigation into Oakland mayor spreads to police department

The sprawling federal investigation that came to light last month with the FBI raids of Oakland, California, Mayor Sheng Thao's house as well as two others close to her has now expanded to the Oakland Police Department.

The U.S. attorney's office has ordered the OPD to turn over all internal phone number directories since the start of March, according to new federal grand jury subpoenas served to the city attorney's office.

In addition, it is seeking all Oakland police reports since April 1 involving the Duong family , the owners of curbside recycling contractor California Waste Solutions, who are also politically connected and whose homes were raided alongside Thao's on June 20.

"This is significant because we appear to be entertaining a massive corruption investigation that is currently underway by the grand jury, at the instruction of the Department of Justice," professor Greg Woods, with the Department of Justice Studies at San Jose State University, told ABC 7 .

The subpoenas weren't ordered necessarily to uncover wrongdoing by OPD but could be to see if any potential victims have filed complaints related to the investigation.

"They would call the Oakland Police Department to report such an encounter, such as potential victimization," Woods added.

Woods said the call records could also help establish a timeline and would also grant the FBI access to learn about the nature of the calls, which could go toward determining probable cause.

Separately, a July 10 subpoena from the Department of Justice seeks information on "all sources of federal funding the City has received" from the beginning of 2021.

"The federal funding request validates a theory that the FBI may be investigating alleged illegal campaign donations from executives at Cal Waste Management," the SFist wrote. "Those executives had also been working on a new recycling plant at the Oakland Army Base, which is stalled. That same base was going to be used as a 'tiny homes for the homeless' site proposed by Oakland businessman Mario Juarez, who’s been accused of being a 'straw donor' who funneled the Cal Waste Solutions executives’ illegal donations in his own name."

Thao has said, without providing any evidence, that the raid was connected to a recall effort against her. She also said “radical right-wing forces” and a “handful of billionaires” from the San Francisco Bay Area and Piedmont, a small city in Alameda County, were “hell-bent” on removing her from office.

Her attorney resigned as soon as he saw the press conference, telling reporters he had no idea she was having one or proclaiming her innocence.

Thao has vowed not to resign. She is also facing a recall in November.

If voters recall Thao, Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas would serve as interim mayor. The area’s election office would have 120 days to set up a special election to elect a new mayor.

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No charges have been filed, and Thao has denied any wrongdoing.

Woods says this type of FBI grand jury investigation could go on for months, if not into next year.