Oakland mayor says FBI raided her home due to 'right-wing forces,' does not take questions on advice of counsel, cries at presser

On Monday, Oakland, California Mayor Sheng Thao addressed the media for the first time after her home was raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigations last week. She did not reveal many details about the incident or what may have led up to it, but instead suggested it was somehow part of a plot by "radical right-wing forces" trying to oust her as leader.

Thao, whose rule is being threatened by an active recall campaign, questioned the timing of the raid and how quickly it was picked up by the media. She specifically targeted conservative outlets, accusing them of trying to "fan the flames" via their coverage. Ahead of her remarks, her chief of staff said that on the advice of counsel, the mayor wouod not be taking questions.

The mayor began her emotional address by comparing herself to Oakland residents who have been treated unfairly by the police based on their immutable characteristics, shedding a tear as she praised those who work hard but "cannot catch a break." She went on to declare that she would not be intimidated, and vowed continue fighting.

"The timing of all this is troubling," Sheng continued, "and we should all be concerned ... I have questions that need to be answered. I want to know what probable cause the FBI has, what evidence have they collected that justifies raiding the home of a sitting mayor without notice and without the courtesy of a conversation."

"I want to know more about the handful of billionaires from San Francisco and from Piedmont who are hellbent on running me out of office," she added. "I want to know why the day following the qualification of a recall election funded by some of the richest people in the Bay Area felt like the right day to execute a warrant. I want to know how the TV cameras knew to show up on my sleepy residential street so early in the morning to capture footage."

She called out Breitbart and Fox News in particular for being "so prepared to fan the flames and tell a story they want to tell, to bend the facts to shape a narrative."

The "court-authorized" raid took place on Thursday morning around 5:30 am. Nearly five hours later, agents were spotted leaving the home carrying boxes and bags before driving away. Another residence nearby owned by Andy Duong, whose family runs recycling giant Cal Waste Solutions, was also raided.