Thao's texts
Texts between Thao and carpenters union show she was fixated on recall leader, After dust-up carpenters endorses recall, More on the shocking body-cam videos of Alameda CM Spencer in a drunken stupor
ELECTION 2024
5 days to Election Day
OAKLAND
—‘WE NEVER PLAYED YOU’—The animosity between Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the NorCal Carpenters Union grew more contentious on Wednesday.
—The NorCal Carpenters Union announced its support of the recall just days after Thao refused to acknowledge her campaign falsely reported the union’s opposition of the recall in a mailer and its website.
—“Our Union will continue to stand with—and fight for—all working people and our Oakland community. We deserve leadership at City Hall that will help us in that fight--not someone like Thao who shirks responsibility and hides behind excuses,” said Jay Bradshaw, the union’s executive secretary-treasurer.
—The union sent a cease and desist letter to Thao demanding she remove its logo and opposition of the recall from its literature and website. A compliant was also filed with the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
—A spokesperson from Oaklanders Defending Democracy, the committee opposing the Thao recall told KRON the NorCal Carpenters Union told Thao on Oct. 10 that they opposed the recall.
—“Their internal confusion is an issue for their members, not the mayor,” said a spokesperson for Oaklanders Defending Democracy.
—Text messages between Thao and Ron Rowlett, a business agent for the union, reveal she requested the union contribute $200,000 to Oaklanders Defending Democracy in a form letter, dated Oct. 10.
—The union supported Thao during her 2022 campaign for mayor, but planned to take no position on the recall. Thao, though, appeared to assume the union would again offered their financial support to her campaign.
—Thao was also irate about the union’s endorsement of Oakland city attorney candidate Brenda Harbin-Forte, the original leader of the effort to remove Thao from office.
—“Brenda Harbin-Forte is the leader of my recall. Supporting her actively with $100k and me with zero makes it clear what the stance is,” Thao wrote.
—The recall campaign against Thao is retribution for removing Harbin-Forte from the Oakland Police Commission, Thao wrote. “Once I removed her from the police commission she got mad and ran the recall against me.”
—Featured in Thao’s complaint with Rowlett was a fixation on a line in a recent mailer that described her as a “disgraced mayor.”
—Rowlett offered his apologies in a text to Thao on Oct. 22 for the inclusion of the phrase in the Harbin-Forte mailer, but she did not accept.
—“There’s nothing to talk about Ron. I understand clearly now that I was played and that this relationship, which I lost support from others defending and supporting the carpenters, was a one-way street with me drawing the short end of the stick.”
ALAMEDA CITY COUNCIL
—IT’S ALL BAD—Police body-camera video of Alameda Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer in an entirely disoriented state is an absolute bombshell that has rocked next week’s election and could potentially place the city council in a long-term state of turmoil.
—Long Beach Police released six body-cam videos, five show the same scene of Spencer prone on a sidewalk in front of a bar.
—The sixth video is police body-camera video inside a hospital emergency room. The video is blurred, but audio shows Spencer attempted to resist care and was often belligerent with hospital personnel.
—When a Long Beach police officer repeatedly asked Spencer to provide her date of birth, she refused.
—Spencer threatened to report the Long Beach police officer to Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi. The police officer ignored the comment.
—The video cleared up several questions about the Oct. 18 incident.
Spencer was not arrested. A police officer is heard saying Spencer’s condition was self-inflicted.
Prior to the incident that night, Long Beach Police approached Spencer at a nearby 7-Eleven store. The officer said Spencer seemed “weird” and “out of place.”
A unknown male attempted to help Spencer get to her hotel, according to a bouncer. Spencer then became unresponsive on the sidewalk where she may have injured herself. A police officer said he noticed blood on Spencer’s eyebrow.
Spencer refused medical help, but she received care at the local hospital.
—WHAT’S NEXT?—If Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer wins re-election next week, Alameda City Hall is headed toward political chaos not seen since the city manager scandal in 2017.
—What if Spencer wins, but resigns shortly after? Alameda’s charter has a unique provision that allows an also-ran candidate in the most recent election to be elevated to a council seat in the event of a resignation.
—In 2012, two at-large council seats were available. Then-Alameda Councilmember Rob Bonta received a promotion to the state assembly in the middle of his council term. Stewart Chen, who finished third in the November election took over the last two years of Bonta’s term.
—Spencer winning re-election next week and later resigning is a different scenario, however, the same charter provision last six months after the election.
—DOUBLE-TEAMED—On the same day police body-camera video emerged showing Alameda Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer dazed and drunk on a sidewalk in Long Beach, Alameda voters received a hit piece documenting the Oct. 18 incident.
—The mailer paid by the Coalition of Patient Access and Innovation, sponsored by California Life Sciences; features news coverage of the incident.
—“When it comes to Trish Herrera Spencer’s bad decisions, enough is enough!” the mailer reads.
—Earlier this month, the IE sent a similar mailer extolling Alameda voters to support any council candidate, but Spencer.
—HARRIS/BOLLER 2024—Also in Alameda mailboxes this week is an interesting mailer that deftly links the presidential campaign down to the local level.
—Alameda City Council candidate Greg Boller is an Alameda County prosecutor, as was Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
—“One Alameda County prosecutor needs your vote for the White House. The other needs your vote for city council,” the mailer reads.
9TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT
—PAY-TO-STAY SILENT—East Bay Insiders subscribers know from daily campaign finance data that 9th State Senate District Tim Grayson will take campaign contributions from seemingly anyone, including oil companies, a rarity for a candidate in the East Bay.
—Grayson, according to an article published in the East Bay Times on Sunday, often skipped votes affecting oil companies and housing providers, among other special interests that have contributed to his campaign.
—Grayson’s campaign also benefited from independent expenditure committees funded by the same groups.
—Knowledge of the damaging article in the pipeline may explain why two IEs spent more than $200,000 recently to support Grayson’s campaign.
—Grayson is facing fellow Democrat Marisol Rubio next week in a rematch of the March Primary.
—The newly drawn 9th District mostly includes Contra Costa County, but also San Leandro, Castro Valley, and surrounding unincorporated Alameda County areas.
7TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT
—CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE—The aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel greatly affected the Berkeley City Council starting in November 2023.
—Several meetings were shut down after calls by protesters for a ceasefire resolution in Gaza were ignored.
—The issue put the spotlight on Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, who struggled to control the protesters for months. However, it’s largely been a non-issue during his campaign for the 7th State Senate District.
—Opponent Jovanka Beckles lodged criticism on X about Arreguín’s handling of the protesters at the time. Beckles has rekindled the issue in recent weeks.
—In a short video on social media, Beckels declares herself the only candidate in the race calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel.
—She added, in stark terms, “As your state senator, I will protect our tax dollars from being sent to kill children abroad.”
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
—BANK NOTES—East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks received a $1,000 campaign contribution on Wednesday from one of the region’s most prolific polluters.
—Schnitzer Steel Industries (now rebranded as Radius Recycling) operates a scrap metal yard near Jack London Square. Last August, a fire at Schnitzer Steel produced smoke from the Oakland Estuary to Fremont.
—In addition, Schnitzer Steel played a role in creating interference through an AstroTurf group to block progress on the Howard Terminal ballpark.
—Earlier this week, Wicks who represents Oakland and areas north to Richmond, received a $2,500 from the Fox Corporation. Jesse Arreguín, a candidate in the 7th State Senate District, also received $2,500 from Fox on Wednesday.
—💰MONEYBALL—Form 497 large campaign contributions filed on Oct. 30:
ALAMEDA COUNTY
—Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, Oakland United Democratic Campaign, $2,300. TOTAL: $2,300.
RECALLS
—Save Alameda for Everyone (SAFE): Recall DA Price (Supports Price recall), Nancy O'Malley of Alameda, $2,000. TOTAL: $2,000.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
—John Bauters (District 5), William Langelier of Beverly Hills, $2,500; Bonnie J. Moss of Hayward, $1,000; Swalwell for Congress, $1,000. TOTAL: $4,500.
—Nikki Fortunato Bas (District 5), BBI Construction, $4,000; IBEW Local NO. 180 PAC, $2,500. TOTAL: $6,500.
EAST BAY MUD
—Jim Oddie (Area 5), IBEW Local 595 PAC, $1,200. TOTAL: $1,200.
CITIES
EMERYVILLE
—Courtney Welch (Emeryville City Council), Operating Engineers Local Union 3 District 20 PAC, $1,000 TOTAL: $1,000.
OAKLAND
—Charlene Wang (Oakland City Council-At-large), Operating Engineers Local Union 3 District 20 PAC, $1,200. TOTAL: $1,200.
—Oaklanders Together - For A Safer Oakland, Yes on NN (Supporting parking/parcel tax), Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals, $75,000; A Better Bay Area, $15,000. TOTAL: $90,000.
PLEASANTON
—Protect Pleasanton's Future Supporting Measure PP 2024 (Supporting sales tax increase), Livermore Pleasanton Firefighters Local 1974, $5,000. TOTAL: $5,000.
STATE LEGISLATURE
STATE SENATE
—Jesse Arreguin (7th Senate District), Laborers Local Union 270 PAC, $5,000; Fox Corporation And Affiliated Entities, $2,500; Catherine Dean of San Francisco, $2,500; Comcast Financial Agency Corporation, $2,000; Comcast Corporation and Affiliated Entities including NBCUniversal Media LLC, $2,000. TOTAL: $14,000.
—Tim Grayson (9th Senate District), Leprino Foods Company, $3,000. TOTAL: $3,000.
STATE ASSEMBLY
—Buffy Wicks (14th Assembly District), Sysco Corporation, $5,500; Google LLC and Affiliated Entities, $3,000; Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.), $1,000. TOTAL: $9,500.
—Mia Bonta (18th Assembly District), Association of California School Administrators PAC Small Contributor Committee, $10,900; SEIU Local 2015 State PAC, $8,400. TOTAL: $19,300.
—Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (16th Assembly District), Comcast Corporation and Affiliated Entities including NBCUniversal Media LLC, $2,500 TOTAL: $2,500.
—Alex Lee (24th Assembly District), Table Mountain Rancheria, $1,500; Elect Climate Champion Fund Sponsored by California Environmental Voters, $1,000. TOTAL: $2,500.
—🧾EXPENDITURES—Form 496 Independent Expenditure Reports filed on Oct. 30.
STATE LEGISLATURE
STATE SENATE
—Jesse Arreguín (7th State Senate District), Foundational Oakland Unites. SUPPORT (Mailer—$1,290). TOTAL: $1,290.
ASSEMBLY
—Andre Sandford (18th Assembly District), Foundational Oakland Unites. SUPPORT (Mailer—$1,290). TOTAL: $1,290.
CITIES
FREMONT
—Raj Salwan (Fremont Mayor), Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County by Supporting Salwan and Opposing Bacon for Mayor 2024. SUPPORT (Mailer—$14,272; Graphic design—$1,250). TOTAL: $15,522.
OAKLAND
—Warren Logan (Oakland City Council-District 3), Empower Oakland Committee. SUPPORT (Digital ads—$25,000). TOTAL: $25,000.
—Warren Logan (Oakland City Council-District 3), Champions for Quality Education PAC. SUPPORT (Walk piece—$1,537). TOTAL: $1,537.
—Carroll Fife (Oakland City Council-District 3), Fix Our City Oakland, Supporting Fife for City Council and Richardson for City Attorney 2024. SUPPORT (Mailer—$16,087). TOTAL: $16,087.
—Ken Houston (Oakland City Council-District 7), Committee to Elect Ken Houston & Len Raphael and oppose Zac Unger for City Council 2024. SUPPORT (Digital ads—$5,000). TOTAL: $5,000.
—Brenda Harbin-Forte (Oakland City Attorney), Families for a Vibrant Oakland, Sponsored by Abundance Network. SUPPORT (Literature—$38,812). TOTAL: $38,812.
—Dwayne Aikens, Jr. (Oakland USD-District 3), Champions for Quality Education PAC. SUPPORT (Walk piece—$1,537). TOTAL: $1,537.
