District Attorney and Mayoral Recall Campaigns Fuel Racism and Rage in Oakland

The recall campaigns targeting Oakland’s District Attorney and Mayor aren’t grassroots movements—they’re well-funded efforts, driven by hedge fund and real estate interests. These campaigns aim to stir emotions and sway votes to remove candidates who support housing reform, non-police unions, and social justice programs. Behind the scenes, white figures like Richard Dryfuss, Sam Singer, and Timothy Gardner (associated with groups like Neighbor Together Oakland and The Oakland Report) pull the strings, evading criticism for both overt and subtle racism by positioning African Americans, women, and people of color as the public faces of the recall efforts.

The faces of these campaigns include figures like Seneca Scott—a failed mayoral candidate, right-wing social media personality, and gun enthusiast who threatened to protest at a synagogue during his campaign. Other key figures include Brenda Grisham, a crime victims’ advocate who shared the racist “Auntie Pam” meme on social media; Chris Moore, a landlord and unsuccessful county supervisor candidate with a history of racially insensitive comments; and Len Raphael, a city council candidate who mocked the Black district attorney's hair online.

These recalls are not only funded by hedge fund interests but also orchestrated by PR professionals. Sam Singer, acting as Richard Dryfuss’s strategic and propagandist partner, has crafted a media frenzy around crime in Oakland, capitalizing on every crime incident to push a “law and order” agenda. This PR strategy, reminiscent of Steve Bannon’s playbook for electing authoritarians, has intensified public fear and resentment.

This climate of anger has energized Oakland and Alameda County’s MAGA-aligned activists. Figures like Mindy Pechunik have used the recalls as a launchpad for political ambitions, including a current campaign for the city council’s at-large seat.

Under Singer and Gardner’s coordination, the recall campaigns have created a coalition that includes anti-union activists, except for police and prison guard unions, which they unconditionally support. They paint Oakland in bleak, “doom loop” imagery, blaming Black and Brown women politicians and unions for the city’s struggles with crime, homelessness, and economic challenges. Using multi-channel marketing, they amplify this message of blame, scapegoating marginalized communities while boosting voices that align with their anti-progressive stance. They even attack local investigative journalism, promoting their own “alternative news” sources that echo their values.

Thanks to the Citizens United ruling, Oakland and Alameda County now face fully-funded, professionally-managed PR operations, complete with influencers and “fake news” outlets that have normalized hate, racism, and rage. Social media is flooded with Trumpian and racist messages, often endorsed by traditionally conservative groups disguised as “pragmatic moderates.”

As a result, billionaires and PR experts have helped normalize racism, homophobia, and other forms of intolerance within their faux social movements. Black leaders recruited for these campaigns, like Seneca Scott, Brenda Grisham, Leronne Armstrong, and Brenda Harbin-Forte, are now seeing their reputations crumble as they’re held accountable for the very divisiveness they helped promote. Meanwhile, the white architects of these efforts will likely replace them with new faces, continuing to reshape Oakland’s political landscape in their image.