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Oakland Mayor’s Aide Dismissed Following Controversy Over Offensive Notes
A senior aide to Oakland’s former Mayor Sheng Thao has been terminated from her position after the emergence of contentious notes. These notes purportedly referred to Black individuals as ‘tokens’ for political exploitation. The dismissal follows the release of documents seized by federal prosecutors, sparking immediate backlash and demands for accountability.
Chief of Staff Leigh Hanson Removed from Post
Leigh Hanson, who served as chief of staff in Thao’s administration, was relieved of her duties on Sunday. The termination came after a controversial document surfaced among thousands of pages obtained by federal investigators. The note, allegedly penned during a political strategy session in March 2024, included the phrase: “Use BP as tokens.”
This statement was located under the heading ‘Black supporters,’ inferring a strategy to utilize Black individuals as political tools during the Democrat mayor’s campaign against a recall effort. City Administrator Jestin Johnson announced Hanson’s departure in a public statement issued over the weekend.
City Official Confirms Aide’s Termination
‘Effective Sunday, Leigh Hanson is no longer an employee of the City of Oakland,’ Johnson stated. ‘I extend my thanks to Ms. Hanson for her service. Deputy Mayor Burt Jones will assume the role of chief of staff for the Mayor’s Office on an interim basis. I appreciate his willingness to take on this responsibility.’
Leigh Hanson, former chief of staff in Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s administration, was fired after notes containing offensive language were made public.
Leigh Hanson’s notes sparked outrage and led to her dismissal from her role as chief of staff to the Oakland mayor.
Hanson Claims Notes Were ‘Taken Out of Context’
In response to inquiries from The Mercury News regarding the inflammatory language, Hanson defended her notes, asserting they were ‘taken out of context’. She claimed the notes pertained to a paid operative involved in the recall campaign against Mayor Thao.
‘These handwritten meeting notes document a group discussion that encompassed proposed messaging points intended for surrogates in the anti-recall campaign,’ Hanson informed the news outlet. She elaborated, ‘They specifically reference Seneca Scott, a paid African American political operative, contracted by the affluent white financiers of the recall campaign to obscure the public’s understanding of the recall’s political motivations.’
Hanson further stated, ‘Mayor Thao and her political team believed that this operative’s paid involvement constituted tokenization by the recall’s financial backers, and Oakland voters deserved to understand this connection. I regret that my abbreviated note-taking has been misinterpreted on social media and inadvertently caused distress to close associates, colleagues, and community members who have experienced marginalization within our political system.’
Mayor Thao Faces Separate Corruption Probe
Earlier this year, former Oakland Mayor Thao was criminally indicted in a federal corruption investigation, occurring shortly after her recall from office amid escalating concerns over city crime rates. The FBI investigation centers on the city’s dealings with the Duong family, who manage Oakland’s curbside recycling program, according to reports from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was previously indicted in an FBI corruption investigation.
Indictment and FBI Investigation Details
The indictment suggests that grand jurors, after reviewing evidence in a San Francisco federal court, were convinced by prosecutors that sufficient grounds existed to warrant a trial for Thao. Sources familiar with the case confirmed to the Chronicle that others also face criminal charges in the indictment. The indictment followed an FBI raid on Thao’s residence approximately six months prior.