Mario Juarez is up to something

The Oakland fixer and FBI's potential star witness is making a return to politics. 'Everybody has something to worry about,' he says; Labor-backed IE tries to link President Trump to Loren Taylor

Mario Juarez announced the creation on Tuesday of the Oakland Latino Business Association, which includes a political action committee.

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—Mario Juarez, the charismatic Oakland political insider and potential star witness in the FBI’s public corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the owners of California Waste Solutions, David Duong and Andy Duong, appears set for a return to East Bay politics.

Juarez announced on Tuesday the creation of the Oakland Latino Business Association, which includes an advocacy arm and political action committee.

When asked about the intent of the new entities, Juarez said, “to f—k with whoever wants to f—k with us.”

“We’ve been getting lip service about equity and solving Oakland’s problems,” Juarez told the East Bay Insiders. City contracts in Oakland are not going to women, Latinos, and Black-owned businesses, he said.

“We’re going to shine light on Oakland. We want results and if you’re an incompetent individual that doesn’t know how to get things done in the city of Oakland, you will be in trouble.”

Juarez said another round of recalls are an option, following the removal of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price last fall.

“From the city auditor to the city attorney to councilmembers, your job is not secure, Juarez warned.

Why created these groups now and not during the 2026 election cycle? “Right now is the time,” Juarez said. “You want to throw punches early.”

Within the last week of the highly-competitive 2022 Oakland mayoral election, Juarez sent a controversial mailer that attacked Loren Taylor. The alleged funding of the mailers by the Duongs is part of the FBI’s indictment handed down in January.

Oakland’s special mayoral election is at the same point of the race, just five days from Election Day. Juarez said the group’s political action committee has been seeded with $100,000.

Should Taylor’s campaign be worried about a similar attack piece in the next few days?

“Everybody has something to worry about,” Juarez said.

—More inside:

• Donald Trump has entered Oakland’s special mayoral race.

• An infamous 2016 mailer linking Trump to an opponent was successful.

• Court rules in Alameda’s favor, former councilmember can’t serve as counsel to city’s tenant.

• County supervisor has ideas for streamlining the permitting process, and allowing residents use their swimming pools to fight fires.

• It’s never too early to start your re-election campaign, especially when you have $126,000 in campaign debt.

• Campaign finance data for Wednesday: Late money arriving to Lee’s campaign and IE supporting her efforts.

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