Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao's last day: A look back at her tenure

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao's last day is Tuesday; she was recalled by voters last month. 

Labor and progressive groups bolstered Thao as she ran for mayor in 2022, and she won that election over Loren Taylor by a razor-thin margin: only 622 votes.

There was no doubt that anyone who was elected to replace former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff  was going to face an uphill battle, but Thao’s term has been marred with issues from the start.

Within 13 days of taking office, former OPD Chief Leronne Armstrong was placed on leave after an investigation into  alleged  police misconduct. 

Thao chose to fire Armstrong. He has since sued the city and the mayor for the firing.

By January, a recall effort against Thao began to grow, headed up by prominent leaders and Oakland community members.

As that recall effort seemed to heat up, Thao was hit by an FBI raid in June and an ethics investigation that dates back to her time as a council member.

Thao pushed back on the recall campaign and the FBI raid. 

"You just cannot catch a break," she said in June. "Well, guess what? I'm not going down like that. We're not going down like that. The people who voted for me deserve to have their voices heard and communities prioritized. I'm seeking the truth right now just as much as you all are."

Despite Thao's stance, she was unsuccessful in convincing voters she was still up for the job.

In November, 60% of Oakland residents voted in favor of recalling her.