Vanguard News Desk Editor
OAKLAND, CA – There’s more on-the-record opposition to the twin recalls of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, according to a statement released Wednesday by William Fitzgerald, a spokesman for Oaklanders Defending Democracy.
Fitzgerald, in an email statement to the Vanguard, said, “Senator Nancy Skinner called on voters to vote No on the Recalls. She echoed the statement from Rep Barbara Lee earlier this week. Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson came out against them on Oct 3.”
“Oakland City Council member Carroll Fife called for a no. Last week Oaklandside published interviews with 16 candidates standing for election in Oakland, 12 of them said they were a No Vote on the Recalls (that’s 75 percent),” said Fitzgerald.
The spokesman added, “Each day now more and more community leaders and elected officials are speaking out against the recalls. There’s a clear trend here. While some media stories and X have been full of vitriol for two years we’re seeing a significant backlash to the doom loopers. People are sick and tired of the negative stories a well funded fringe group are telling about Oakland.”
“The reality is crime is down massively in Oakland this year because of Mayor Sheng Thao’s leadership, and foot traffic is way up in downtown Oakland,” the Oaklanders Defending Democracy spokesperson noted.
Skinner is quoted as stating on X, “As she does on countless other issues, Barbara Lee speaks for me on recalls as well – past & present. I oppose them on principle. Except in rare circumstances of serious misconduct, recalls are undemocratic and a waste of public funds.
“That’s especially true in the case of the Nov. 5 recalls, when the incumbents have only been in office for two years and will be up for reelection just two years from now. Wealthy interests should not be able to circumvent the regular democratic process and pay to put a recall on the ballot. Let’s come together and work on the issues facing our communities.”
Lee earlier in the week said on X, “Whether it’s two Governors or local elected officials, I’ve always opposed recalls and oppose the recalls on our Nov 5th ballot. They’re undemocratic, costly, and chaotic. They prevent our officials from governing and deplete badly needed resources from our communities.
“The voters – through regular elections, not a few billionaires – are the ones with the power to ensure our democratic process remains strong and in place. Now is the time for us to come together and work to address the real and serious issues facing our communities.”
And, Fitzgerald said Oakland City Council member Carroll Fife told Oaklandside in an interview when asked about the recalls she opposed them, noting, “I don’t believe recalls will solve the age-old problems in Oakland, just as they didn’t solve anything in other Bay Area cities.”
Fife said, “The financial and morale cost of these recalls is more than our city can bear. In the face of a budget deficit, a $10 million dollar special election would be painful in more ways than one. $10 million could go a long way to addressing some of the issues in Oakland people care about.
“I can think of 10 million ways to better spend those funds. Imagine a $10 million small business assistance fund; or a jobs program that paid youth to work on a job/career of their interests opportunities; or a day laborer program for unsheltered residents that paid a living wage to help beautify the city.”
