Oakland mayor’s attorney quits after being surprised by news conference

(KRON) — Embattled Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s attorney has resigned as her counsel after the mayor gave a press conference Monday without informing him. Tony Brass, a high-profile attorney who also represents accused Bob Lee killer Nima Momeni, was retained as Mayor Thao’s counsel late last week after the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided her Oakland home.

“I have officially withdrawn as Sheng Thao’s counsel,” Brass told Bay City News, via text message.

Oakland mayor’s chief of communications abruptly quits

The mayor remained silent for several days, declining to speak about the raid or to address a mass shooting in Oakland Wednesday, in which 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration. On Monday, she broke her silence, addressing the shooting briefly before launching into a fiery, and at times emotional statement about the raid.

In the statement, which KRON4.com has learned she did not inform her attorney about ahead of time, Mayor Thao implied the FBI raid was connected to an ongoing recall effort against her. She also at times suggested that there were “radical rightwing forces” and a “handful of billionaires” from San Francisco and Piedmont “hellbent” on ousting her from office.

She provided no evidence to support those claims.

Prior to the news conference, a staff member for Mayor Thao told media she would not be taking any questions because her attorney advised her not to. However, Brass told KRON4 that he did not know there was going to be a news conference until he saw it on the news.

KRON4 News reached out to Mayor Thao’s office and was told that the mayor informed Tony Brass she was changing attorneys on Saturday.

Brass responded to the mayor’s office’s statement, calling it absolutely untrue and telling KRON4 he received no communication from Thao on Saturday about changing attorneys. He reiterated to KRON4 that he informed the mayor of his decision to withdraw on Monday morning.

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Thao sent KRON4 the following statement:

“I appreciate Tony Brass for providing me with initial legal guidance. He helped me better understand the investigation and my legal options. Over the weekend, I obtained new legal counsel and thanked Mr. Brass for his counsel. I will share the name of my new counsel once agreements are finalized.”

Bay City News contributed to this story.

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