A homeless woman allegedly stole campaign funds from leftist candidate Charlene Wang during her Bay Area campaign kickoff event.
At a Glance
- Oakland City Council candidate Charlene Wang had a bag of donations stolen by a homeless woman during her campaign kickoff event.
- The bag contained about $1,000.
- Police did not respond to Wang’s 911 call, citing 250 other calls ahead of hers.
- Wang is running for the at-large seat in Oakland, focusing on homelessness and crime.
Campaign Kickoff Turns Chaotic
Charlene Wang, a candidate for Oakland City Council, had a major setback during her campaign kickoff event when a homeless woman allegedly stole a bag containing about $1,000 in donations. The event, intended to highlight Wang’s commitment to addressing homelessness and improving community safety, took an unexpected turn when the situation escalated and police were slow to respond.
Video footage from the event shows Wang and her staff attempting to reason with the homeless woman, offering her a warm meal and money in exchange for the return of the donation bag. These attempts were unsuccessful. The woman became agitated, began to throw food, and eventually threatened the staffers, leading to a call to the police.
Calif. council candidate left to fend for herself after homeless woman robs her of $1,000 in campaign donations https://t.co/RDxmDgZchC pic.twitter.com/3lruLhr8uU
— New York Post (@nypost) August 29, 2024
Response from Authorities
Despite multiple calls to the police, officers did not respond in a timely manner, citing 250 other calls ahead of Wang’s. Wang’s criticism of the lack of response from both mental health services and the police highlights the systemic issues she intends to address if elected. “The complete lack of response we saw from both mental health and police services was unacceptable,” Wang told Fox News Digital. “I’m committed to hiring more police and improving mental health services to bring down response times and get people the help they need.”
Calif. council candidate left to fend for herself after homeless woman robs her of $1,000 in campaign donations https://t.co/Tcv89bEAXy pic.twitter.com/yEJcQq52LN
— New York Post (@nypost) August 29, 2024
A Firm Commitment to Change
Wang’s campaign focuses on improving public safety, reducing the cost of living, and implementing new strategies for homelessness. Her goals include providing housing, social services, and jobs through the Oakland Corps program, investing in technology, and hiring more police officers. Wang, who has previously worked for the Biden-Harris administration in the Department of Transportation and currently works for the Environmental Protection Agency, is undeterred by this incident.
“I very much tried to have a de-escalatory conversation with her to convince her to hand over the bag,” Wang told the station. “Offer her a warm meal at the grocery store, even give her money in exchange for the bag but that did not work out.”
Her background in social programs and public service underlines her long-standing commitment to resolving core community issues. As one of the ten candidates running for a city council at-large seat in November, Wang’s extensive experience and policy goals could provide the targeted solutions Oakland needs.
A Broader Perspective
Wang is empathetic toward the homeless woman, acknowledging the trauma associated with living on the streets. She aims to implement real services for the homeless while also focusing on fully staffing the police department. The Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland Program, which could have provided immediate aid, was unavailable during the weekend, further complicating the situation.
Wang’s commitment extends beyond this incident. Her experience as a domestic violence survivor and her motivation to reduce long 911 response times highlight her dedication to systemic change. She continues to advocate for fully staffing the police department and providing essential services to the homeless to foster a safer, more supportive community for all.
