Sheng Thao, a prominent figure in American politics, is the current mayor of Oakland, California. Elected in 2022 as the city's 51st mayor, she holds the distinction of being the first Hmong American to hold this position in a major U.S. city. Her tenure, which began in January 2023, has been marked by significant events, including the departure of the Oakland Athletics baseball team from the city in 2024.
July 18, 1985: Birth of Sheng Thao
Sheng Thao was born on July 18, 1985.
2012: Sheng Thao Graduates from UC Berkeley and Begins Internship
After graduating from UC Berkeley in 2012, Sheng Thao began working as a paid intern for Rebecca Kaplan, an At-Large Councilmember.
2017: Sheng Thao Becomes Chief of Staff for Rebecca Kaplan
Sheng Thao's dedication and hard work led her to be promoted to chief of staff for Rebecca Kaplan at the Oakland City Council in 2017.
2018: Sheng Thao Runs for Oakland City Council
Driven by her commitment to address the city's pressing issues, Sheng Thao decided to run for the District 4 City Council seat in 2018, focusing on affordable housing solutions, improved public safety through community policing, and enhanced public infrastructure.
January 2019: Sheng Thao Begins Term on Oakland City Council
Sheng Thao commenced her tenure on the Oakland City Council in January 2019, representing District 4, which encompassed neighborhoods such as Montclair, Laurel, Melrose, Redwood Heights, and the Dimond District. This made her the first Hmong woman in California to hold such a position and the first Hmong representative on the Oakland City Council.
November 10, 2021: Sheng Thao Announces Candidacy for Oakland Mayor
On November 10, 2021, Sheng Thao publicly announced her candidacy for the position of Mayor of Oakland. She garnered significant endorsements, including backing from Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, Attorney General Rob Bonta, labor unions, the Alameda County Democratic Party, and U.S. Representative Ro Khanna.
June 2022: Ethics Investigation Initiated Against Sheng Thao
In June 2022, a former staff member filed an informal complaint with the Public Ethics Commission. The complaint alleged that Sheng Thao had Oakland City Council staff work on her campaign, potentially violating state election laws. The staffer claimed to have been fired for refusing to participate. Thao denied the accusations, and the ethics commission started an investigation.
October 2022: Allegations Against Thao Gain Media Attention
The allegations against Sheng Thao, initially reported in June 2022, gained significant media attention in October 2022 after a political blogger who supported one of Thao's opponents published a report on the matter.
November 18, 2022: Sheng Thao Wins Oakland Mayoral Election
Sheng Thao emerged victorious in the Oakland mayoral election on November 18, 2022, securing her win through the city's rank-choice voting system.
November 22, 2022: Loren Taylor Concedes Oakland Mayoral Election to Sheng Thao
Following the November 18th election, the vote margin in the Oakland mayoral race increased, leading Sheng Thao's opponent, Councilmember Loren Taylor, to concede the election on November 22, 2022.
2022: Sheng Thao Elected as Mayor of Oakland
Sheng Thao was elected as the mayor of Oakland in 2022, marking a significant milestone as the first Hmong American mayor of a major US city.
January 9, 2023: Sheng Thao is Sworn in as Mayor
Sheng Thao officially took office as the mayor of Oakland on January 9, 2023.
January 2023: Sheng Thao Takes Office as Mayor of Oakland
Sheng Thao began her term as the 51st mayor of Oakland, California, on January 2023.
January 18, 2023: Investigative Report Alleges Misconduct in Oakland Police Department
On January 18, 2023, an investigative report commissioned by the City of Oakland the previous year was officially released. This report revealed allegations of misconduct within the Oakland Police Department.
February 15, 2023: Sheng Thao Fires Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong
Citing a loss of confidence in Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong's ability to effectively reform the Oakland Police Department, Sheng Thao made the decision to fire him on February 15, 2023. This decision followed Thao's previous action of placing Armstrong on administrative leave on January 19, 2023, in response to an investigative report that uncovered alleged misconduct within the department.
April 2023: Oakland A's Announce Plans to Buy Land in Las Vegas, Thao Remains Open to Negotiation
In April 2023, the president of the Oakland Athletics baseball team announced their agreement to purchase land in Las Vegas for a new stadium. Despite this announcement, Sheng Thao indicated her willingness to continue negotiations with the team in an effort to keep them in Oakland.
May 2023: Sheng Thao Proposes Two-Year Budget to Address Deficit
In response to a substantial budget deficit, Sheng Thao put forward a two-year budget proposal amounting to $4.2 billion in May 2023. This proposal included strategic measures such as city department mergers and hiring freezes as part of a plan to mitigate the $360 million deficit.
June 2023: Oakland City Council Approves Budget with Department Mergers and Hiring Freezes
During June 2023, the Oakland City Council formally approved a $4.2 billion budget that had been proposed to effectively tackle the city's financial deficit. This budget incorporated several key measures, including the merging of certain city departments, the implementation of hiring freezes as a preventative measure against potential layoffs, and strategic spending cuts.
July 2023: Thao Meets with MLB Commissioner to Discuss Oakland A's Future
In July 2023, Sheng Thao, alongside other Oakland officials, engaged in a meeting with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem. The primary focus of this meeting was to deliberate on the proposal for the Oakland Athletics to remain in Oakland, despite the team's earlier announcement of their intent to relocate to Las Vegas.
September 2023: Sheng Thao Announces Additional Funding for 911 Response System
In September 2023, Sheng Thao made a significant announcement regarding the allocation of an additional $2.5 million in funding specifically directed towards enhancing the city's 911 emergency response system.
October 17, 2023: Sheng Thao Delivers State of the City Address, Focusing on Crime and Public Safety
During her State of the City address delivered on October 17, 2023, Sheng Thao addressed critical issues facing Oakland, with a particular emphasis on crime and public safety. She outlined ongoing endeavors aimed at bolstering the city's 911 emergency response system and securing additional California Highway Patrol officers to enhance law enforcement efforts.
June 5, 2024: Recall Petition Submitted Against Sheng Thao
A group known as Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao (OUST) initiated a recall effort against Sheng Thao and submitted a formal petition to remove her from office on June 5, 2024. This marked a significant development in Oakland's political landscape.
June 18, 2024: Recall Petition Against Sheng Thao Gains Enough Signatures
On June 18, 2024, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters confirmed that the recall petition against Sheng Thao had successfully gathered enough valid signatures. With over 40,595 signatures deemed valid, surpassing the required threshold of 25,000, the petition's success triggered a recall election, a historic first for Oakland, to be included on the November 2024 ballot.
June 20, 2024: FBI Raids Sheng Thao's Home
On June 20, 2024, Sheng Thao's home was raided by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the United States Postal Service (USPS). The raid sent shockwaves through the city and raised serious questions about potential legal issues.
November 2024: Recall Election Against Sheng Thao Scheduled
A recall election against Sheng Thao was scheduled to take place in November 2024, marking the first mayoral recall election in Oakland's history. This election was prompted by a successful recall petition initiated by a group opposed to Thao's leadership.
2024: Oakland Athletics Relocate During Thao's Mayoral Term
During Sheng Thao's time as mayor in 2024, the city of Oakland experienced the loss of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which decided to relocate.