Robert GrahamOakland Mayor Sheng Thao and her criminal defense attorney – hired a day after the FBI raided her home last week – quickly parted ways.
Both Thao and Tony Brass told reporters on Monday that she was no longer his client. He was retained on Friday.
But whose decision it was to end the relationship wasn't immediately clear.
What was clear is that the two split after Thao spoke publicly at a news conference Monday, declaring that she had done nothing wrong, would not resign and was the victim of a right-wing conspiracy.
The FBI has yet to arrest anyone or make public their investigation of the mayor, and a politically powerful family whose homes and business agents also searched last Thursday.
Though she vowed complete transparency, Thao's chief of staff, Leigh Hanson, told reporters there would be no questions on the advice of the mayor's attorney.
But that wasn't what Brass said.
In an interview later, he said that he only learned of the news conference when reporters called him to ask if he'd be there.
In a statement, Thao said that she appreciated Brass "for providing me with initial legal guidance. He helped me better understand the investigation and my legal options."
However, the mayor said that "over the weekend" she obtained new legal counsel "and thanked Mr. Brass for his counsel."
She said she would share the name of her new lawyer once the deal was finalized.
But Brass' timeline varies from the mayor's.
He said it was he who withdrew from being her counsel and that it happened on Monday, not over the weekend.
