Club Fed
Federal filing puts Alameda County chiefs of staff under new scrutiny; Hernandez operative ambushes Wahab; Fremont puts charter measure on ice; Coliseum JPA to discuss Roots stadium issue this week
☕️MORNING BUZZ
Vol. VI, No. 1,336
—Last week, Shawn Wilson, the embattled chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, was telling associates he had spoken with federal investigators about his involvement in the ongoing public corruption case involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and California Waste Solutions executives David and Andy Duong.
According to multiple people, Wilson’s message was simple: everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
Then came Friday’s bombshell.
Federal prosecutors filed a series of motions—widely reported Monday—that allege Wilson accepted $10,000 from the Duongs in exchange for blocking publication of a damaging East Bay Insiders article.
The allegation could place Wilson in significant legal jeopardy. Wilson has previously acknowledged accepting the $10,000, but has maintained it was payment for public relations work on behalf of the Duongs. According to the East Bay Times, he made that claim as early as January 2025.
If Wilson gave federal investigators a different account, the consequences could be severe. Making false statements to the FBI is a crime and could place him in a situation similar to former San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo.
Azevedo ultimately pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making false statements to federal investigators before resigning from office.
Prosecutors allege Azevedo was present when the Duongs paid Wilson the $10,000, making him a likely witness regarding the alleged scheme to suppress the East Bay Insiders story.
Wilson was only one of several county officials mentioned in last week’s filings.
The government’s motions contain a series of new allegations that provide greater insight into its case ahead of the Oct. 19 trial and suggest prosecutors intend to present evidence involving a widening circle of former and current public officials.
Despite the allegations and the potential damage to public confidence in Supervisor Haubert’s office, Wilson appears to remain in his position.
—The filings also identify Cesley Frost, chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor Lena Tam, as an expected government witness. Prosecutors detailed Frost’s work for Evolutionary Homes, the Duong-backed modular home company central to the alleged bribery scheme.
According to the filing, Frost was not paid a salary for her work. Instead, she was allegedly promised commissions on each $300,000 modular home sold once Oakland completed a purchase agreement. The arrangement raises questions about what Frost believed she was participating in at the time and whether she understood the broader nature of the enterprise.
Taken together, the filings present a troubling picture for Alameda County government.
Two of the five chiefs of staff serving the Board of Supervisors are now identified in federal court filings—one accused of accepting money from the Duongs, the other described as working for a Duong-backed company with the expectation of future commissions.
As the federal corruption case moves toward trial, the scrutiny is expanding well beyond the original defendants and increasingly reaching into other areas local government.
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ELECTION 2026
🗓️20 days to CA14 Special Election
14TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
—MONEY SURGE—The torrent of outside spending in the CA14 special election reached another milestone Tuesday, with an AIPAC-backed super PAC pushing its total expenditures to almost $2 million over the past 12 days—an extraordinary sum for a congressional race in the East Bay.
—Bold America reported another $641,000 in independent expenditures Tuesday, all aimed at opposing Democratic candidate Aisha Wahab. In addition, Alameda Come Together and Safer Alameda County spent another $104,000 for Hernandez on Tuesday.
—Since mid-July, the combined spending by Bold America, other AIPAC-backed super PACs, and the Melissa Hernandez campaign has gone largely unanswered by Wahab’s campaign.
—The result has been a relentless advertising blitz. Television and digital ads attacking Wahab have saturated the airwaves, while voters continue receiving a steady stream of negative mailers.
—Hernandez has maintained a low public profile. She declined to participate in the League of Women Voters candidate forum and has generated little traditional media coverage during the closing weeks of the campaign.
—Whether the unprecedented level of outside spending has significantly shifted the race remains unclear. No publicly available polling has been released ahead of the Aug. 18 special election, leaving the effectiveness of the strategy an open question.
—STRANGER THINGS—Nevertheless, the Hernandez campaign has taken a series of peculiar steps in recent days that fuel questions about its emotional makeup during the final weeks of the CA14 special election.
—Last Sunday, Shawn Wilson, chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, attended an Aisha Wahab fundraising event at a Livermore venue. Also present were Hernandez’s boyfriend and Wilson’s girlfriend. High-level campaign operatives rarely attend an opponent’s fundraising event, making the appearance an unusual one.
—Then on Wednesday, during Wahab’s Oakland press conference addressing Alameda County’s handling of child welfare cases, another Hernandez campaign operative appeared and distributed flyers highlighting criticisms of Wahab. A label at the bottom of the flyer listed the payer as the Hernandez campaign.
—The operative repeatedly questioned Wahab while apparently recording the exchange with a cellphone concealed in a shirt pocket.
—In a video later posted by Wahab, she criticized Hernandez for turning a press conference focused on child safety into a campaign event.
—The press conference centered on a recent state report warning that Alameda County could face state intervention if significant reforms are not implemented quickly within its Department of Children and Family Services.
🗓️95 days to November General Election
—PULLING PAPERS—The nomination period for candidates seeking office in the Nov. 3 General Election is now underway. Prospective candidates have until Aug. 7 to file nomination papers and qualify for the ballot.
—Here’s a look at the candidates who joined the field on Wednesday. *-incumbent.
HAYWARD
Araceli Orozco - Hayward USD Area 4
UNION CITY
Deepti Garg - New Haven USD Area 5
ALAMEDA COUNTY WATER DISTRICT
*Paul Sethy - Area 3
CITY NEWS
FREMONT
—CHARTER ON ICE—Fremont’s fast-break effort to become a charter city came to an abrupt halt Tuesday night after city leaders bowed to mounting public opposition and agreed to shelve the proposal, while continuing the conversation at a later date.
—Supporters sought to frame the outcome as a success, arguing the process sparked meaningful civic engagement and educated residents about what a city charter is and how it could affect Fremont.
—Mayor Raj Salwan called the months-long discussion “democracy in action,” saying the debate gave residents a greater understanding of charter cities than at any point in Fremont’s history. “That point alone is an achievement,” Salwan said.
—Salwan acknowledged the charter advisory commission’s recommendations had become “modest” and “watered down,” adding that the original goal was to explore broader questions about how the city should be governed—not peripheral issues such as council term limits and council compensation.
—The decision was widely expected after polling showed little public appetite for placing a charter measure on the November ballot.
—Just 25 percent of voters supported the proposal, while 59 percent opposed it. Even more concerning for supporters, 40 percent of respondents identified themselves as “definitely no” voters, compared with only 12 percent who said they were firmly in favor.
—Opponents successfully seized the narrative, raising concerns about the cost of placing the measure on the ballot, the expanded powers a charter city could provide—including the potential to enact a real estate transfer tax—and the rapid pace of the process, which began only in February.
—Five former Fremont councilmembers, including former state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, registered strong opposition to the charter proposal.
—Councilmember Yajing Zhang, who authored the original referral, said the city’s challenge is improving council performance, modernizing government, and increasing accountability.
“A charter is a very powerful vehicle,” Zhang said. “It’s a product, and we need to carefully decide what features we put into this tool so we can truly benefit Fremont.”
OAKLAND COLISEUM JPA
—SATURDAY’S HEROES—The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority (JPA) will discuss the ongoing controversy involving Oakland Roots SC at a special meeting scheduled for Friday morning.
—The United Soccer League side owes the JPA $1.4 million after defaulting on its agreement to play home matches at the Coliseum.
—The Roots had until noon Wednesday to make their first installment payment in order for Saturday’s scheduled match against Pittsburgh to be played. The club told KTVU that the payment was made.
—The payment includes a $138,000 flat fee, a $20,000 food and beverage deposit, $15,000 in facility and parking fees, and a $200,000 payment that will be applied toward the club’s outstanding debt.
