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   On 22 Jun 2024, Cornelius K  posted some   
   news:v575cu$20ll2$1@solani.org:   
      
   > She likes black dick too.   
      
   A former chief of staff for Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said the mayor should   
   resign following the FBI raid at her home Thursday.   
      
   While the FBI hasn't linked Thao to any kind of wrongdoing, Renia Webb --   
   a former confidante and chief of staff for the mayor -- is speaking out   
   about pay-to-play allegations. She made those accusations as far back as   
   February 2023. She has also been interviewed by FBI agents.   
      
   Webb worked closely with and had access to Thao that few people had for a   
   year and four months. Webb served as Thao's right hand person working as   
   chief of staff when Thao was the District 4 councilmember.   
      
   Webb said she volunteered and spent countless hours on Thao's mayoral   
   campaign in 2022. She said she also led Thao's transition team after Thao   
   won the election.   
      
   "A lot of what's coming out now is the reason I resigned shortly there   
   after winning the election that we fought so hard to win," said Webb.   
      
   She said was more sad than surprised about FBI agents raiding Thao's home   
   on Thursday.   
      
   "I wasn't surprised. I was like, 'Finally. Finally the truth is coming   
   out,'" recalled Webb.   
      
   Webb accuses Thao's boyfriend Andre Jones of being the mastermind and   
   running pay-to-play schemes during Thao's campaign for mayor and after she   
   won.   
      
   "I had found out that Andre, her boyfriend, was promising people jobs in   
   our administration, promising people appointments on different commissions   
   and boards." said Webb.  "I definitely believe that, out of the mouth of   
   the people that told me, they were promised positions, they were promised   
   board positions. And [they would always say] Andre, you know? That's who   
   they would say, 'Andre promised me this.'"   
      
   Webb claimed Jones was controlling and calling the shots. She said Thao   
   went along with him.   
      
   "It's sad. He's making her do things, pushing her to do things that I   
   don't believe she would do otherwise. I just really don't," said Webb.   
      
   Webb said Jones and Thao met when they worked for Councilmember Rebecca   
   Kaplan. Jones was Kaplan's chief of staff and Thao was an intern.   
      
   "When I first mentioned to Sheng, at that house that got raided [on   
   Thursday], that people were coming to me on what Andre had promised them,"   
   explained Webb. "And her response to me was, 'Just ignore Andre. You're   
   going to be making close to $200,000. Just ignore it.' And it just hurt my   
   heart. I just looked at her and told her 'I don't care about the money.'"   
      
   After Thao won the election in November, Webb said she resigned on New   
   Year's Eve 2022.  She said in early 2023, she complained to the city   
   council and the Public Ethics Commission about the pay-to-play allegation.   
      
   She said the council ignored her complaint. The ethics commission sent a   
   follow-up email requesting evidence, but Webb could not produce physical   
   evidence, so that complaint went nowhere.   
      
   Webb said Thao at the time denied all the accusations, telling others Webb   
   was disgruntled, had mental health issues and made up lies.   
      
   "What sense would it make that I would help her win an election, run her   
   transition team, and then all of a sudden I'd just lose my mind?" asked   
   Webb.   
      
   The FBI contacted Webb and interviewed her for two and a half hours on   
   February 3, 2023.  She said agents asked a lot of questions about Thao's   
   campaign funding.   
      
   "It was about campaign contributions, about some of the appointments, like   
   to the [Port of Oakland]," recalled Webb.   
      
   Webb said the FBI agents did not offer specifics about their investigation   
   at the time and she didn't know if the FBI raid is related to the pay-to-   
   play allegation. The FBI remained tight-lipped about the raid at Thao's   
   home.   
      
   While the FBI has not accused Thao or Jones of any wrong doing, Webb   
   believes Thao should resign.   
      
   "I texted and told her I'm praying for her, but we still have to deal with   
   the consequences of our behaviors.  I just hope she gets the help that she   
   needs," said Webb.   
      
   Thao, who was already facing a recall vote, has been criticized by some   
   parties since the raids. The Oakland chapter of the NAACP has called on   
   the mayor to step down.   
      
   Thao's attorney on Friday suggested Thao was not the target of the FBI   
   investigation. CBS Bay Area News contacted the attorney about the pay-to-   
   play allegations, but has not received a response.   
      
   CBS Bay Area News also tried to get Jones' side of the story. He has so   
   far declined to talk to the media. It's unclear if Jones has retained a   
   lawyer.   
      
   https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/former-chief-of-staff-for-   
   oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-alleges-pay-to-play-schemes/   
      
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