At the end of a week of explosive revelations in the federal corruption case involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the government has revealed the people it plans to call to the stand at the October trial.
Thao, her romantic partner Andre Jones, and Oakland recycling contractors David and Andy Duong are all charged with participating in an elaborate bribery scheme. Prosecutors allege that Thao and Jones accepted payments and election help from the Duongs in exchange for Thao agreeing to support their businesses and grant them political favors. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The 72-person witness list released Friday includes elected officials in the city and county, political consultants, local businesspeople, police officers, bank employees, FBI and IRS agents, Port of Oakland bureaucrats, and city staffers, including people who used to work for Thao. The government said it may not call all of these witnesses and that it reserves the right to add more people as the case progresses…