The effort to recall Mayor Sheng Thao is being fueled by a network of dark money, enabled by Citizens United, a Supreme Court decision that dismantled key campaign finance laws. This ruling has allowed wealthy individuals and special interests to flood the recall campaign with money, while shielding their identities from public scrutiny. Shockingly, 80% of the recall’s funding is coming from a single source: Piedmont hedge fund manager Phil Dreyfuss, whose interests do not align with the everyday residents of Oakland (The Oaklandside, May 1).

Using a 501(c)(4) organization, the recall's backers are exploiting legal loopholes to obscure their true donors. These organizations are not required to disclose their donors, enabling individuals or corporations to give large sums of money anonymously. The funds are funneled through the 501(c)(4) and then transferred to the recall effort, bypassing transparency and campaign finance reporting requirements. This is a deliberate tactic to hide who is really behind the push to unseat Mayor Thao.

In response to these shady tactics, Oakland’s Ethics Commission has filed a lawsuit against the recall campaign, accusing them of violating local election laws (The Oaklandside, July 1). The commission is arguing that the recall proponents are using illegal methods to evade disclosure requirements, undermining the integrity of Oakland’s democratic process. This kind of secrecy raises serious concerns about the motives behind the recall and whether it's being driven by outside interests who don't have Oakland's best interests at heart.

This lack of transparency is a threat to our local democracy. Oaklanders deserve to know who is funding this effort and why they're doing it in secret. By opposing the recall, we stand against these dark money networks and defend an accountable and transparent government for all residents of Oakland.