OAKLAND — Attorney Tony Brass, who signed on to represent Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao after an FBI raid on her home last week, announced Monday that he is no longer representing the mayor.
Brass confirmed to CBS News Bay Area that he has withdrawn his representation, hours after Thao made a defiant statement at City Hall denouncing the raid and the recall campaign against her.
Minutes after making the decision, Brass told reporter Juliette Goodrich why he decided to no longer represent Thao.
“Because we parted ways in terms of our approach to the matter,” he said.
The lawyer also said he did not know Thao would speak to the media on Monday. He said he would have advised her not to do that.
On Friday, Brass said in an interview that neither he nor Thao know any details of the federal investigation, but said Thao is “ready, willing and able to cooperate with authorities.”
He added that Thao never received a request for documents or information, but that she would have provided them if requested.
Brass will elaborate on his decision in an interview on CBS News Bay Area airing Monday at 6 p.m.
