East Bay Insiders

With Election Day just around the corner, political consultant Jason Overman joins Steve Tavares and Trishala Vinnakota for a packed edition of East Bay Insiders. The Oakland corruption trial takes center stage as political operative Mario Juarez delivers explosive testimony alleging former Mayor Sheng Thao demanded $300,000. Secret recordings reveal growing frustration among the alleged conspirators, while testimony from former Oakland City Hall officials raises new questions about the prosecution's case. Then it's on to the final days of Election 2026. Rep. Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernández face off again in the 14th Congressional District, with outside money, controversial campaign rhetoric and shifting political alliances reshaping their rematch. Plus, how did San Leandro manage to botch its City Council ballots? And Oakland voters weigh pivotal school board elections and Measure EE, a proposal to give the mayor more power—even as a former mayor stands trial on federal corruption charges.

Former Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor joins East Bay Insiders for an inside look at the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Duong family. Taylor discusses the alleged conspiracy that emerged from the 2022 mayoral election, its impact on his campaign, and what the explosive courtroom testimony reveals about Oakland politics. Co-host Trishala Vinnakota, who served as a consultant to Taylor's mayoral campaign, adds her firsthand perspective as we unpack the political intrigue, alleged backroom dealings, and fallout from one of Oakland's biggest scandals. Plus, the CA-14 congressional race takes an ugly turn after Melissa Hernández accuses Rep. Aisha Wahab of communicating with the Taliban during a debate. Was it a desperate political attack that backfired? We break down the remark, and what it means for their increasingly bitter November rematch.

A special edition of the East Bay Insiders Podcast goes from Capitol Hill to Fremont politics. East Bay Rep. Lateefah Simon joins us from her office in Washington, D.C., for a conversation about Congress, the East Bay and the political moment facing the region. Then, meet a name you may be hearing a lot more in East Bay politics: Aziz Akbari. The Fremont City Council candidate joins the podcast to talk about his campaign, the issues facing Fremont and why he's making the leap into electoral politics. Two conversations offering a look at where East Bay politics is today—and where it may be headed next.

What does democratic socialism look like when you're the one responsible for balancing the budget? Hayward Councilmember George Syrop, one of two elected members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in the East Bay, joins Steve Tavares and Trishala Vinnakota for a wide-ranging conversation on governing, progressive politics, and the growing influence of billionaires in American democracy. "As an elected official, I feel like I am managing the crumbs of a collapsing and failing state," Syrop says, as he argues that decades of disinvestment have left local governments struggling to provide basic services. The discussion explores the future of Hayward's progressive movement, the city's unexpected $30 million budget deficit last year, strategies for strengthening economic development, long-awaited improvements to the much-maligned Hayward Loop, and Syrop's leadership in advancing the city's Israel divestment resolution. The conversation also turns to the high-stakes CA-4 special election, where Syrop argues frontrunner Aisha Wahab must define the race on her own terms as millions of dollars in outside spending, including  massive AIPAC support for Melissa Hernandez down the stretch.

Politics, pressure campaigns, and federal bombshells. Steve Tavares, Trishala Vinnakota, and special co-host Justin Berton break down explosive new court filings in the federal corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Duong family. Prosecutors allege Thao threatened to abandon a lucrative modular housing deal if East Bay Insiders published a story about former San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo's conduct during a trip to Vietnam. They also allege the Duongs paid former East Bay Insiders co-host Shawn Wilson $10,000 to suppress the story. We also examine the latest in the CA14 special election including how Melissa Hernandez's divorce records raise new questions about a central theme of her campaign biography. Plus, Oakland Department of Transportation Director Josh Rowan's remarkable broadside against City Hall, and Steve's latest conspiracy about a monster escaping from a Port of Oakland shipping container. Of course, Justin denies the claim.

Is Oakland finally turning the page on one of the longest-running stadium sagas in American sports? Could this finally be the deal that rewrites Oakland's future—or just another chapter in a very long story? This week, Steve Tavares and Trishala Vinnakota is joined by Dave Peters, West Oakland activist and historian, and for an in-depth conversation on the city's latest Coliseum redevelopment deal and whether it succeeds where decades of proposals failed. The trio breaks down the newly approved agreement involving Irving Azoff, Oak View Group, and Oakland Acquisition Company, while tracing the Coliseum's remarkable history—from the vision of the 1960s that brought the Raiders, A's, and Warriors together under one roof, to the costly Raiders return, and countless redevelopment plans that never crossed the finish line. The discussion also explores how the Coliseum shaped East Oakland, the evolution of West Oakland, and the political decisions that transformed the city over the past six decades.

Former Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison joins me for a special episode remembering the life and legacy of former Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who died on July 5, 2026, at age 68. For 24 years, Haggerty represented the East County and Fremont on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, leaving an outsized mark on the region through his advocacy for transportation, economic development and local government. We also discuss Haggerty's colorful political style, and the legacy he leaves in Alameda County politics. Later in this episode: Fremont's push to become a charter city and what it could mean for residents and future governance, and a look ahead to the Aug. 18 special election in California's 14th Congressional District, where State Sen. Aisha Wahab and BART Director Melissa Hernandez face off for the third time in less than three months.

For the first time, East Bay Insiders founder Steve Tavares tells the behind-the-scenes story of how he was unexpectedly pulled into what would become the East Bay's sprawling public corruption scandal. Steve reveals the alleged efforts to influence his reporting surrounding an infamous 2023 Vietnam trip, including escalating offers of money that he later believes were intended to discourage negative coverage. He walks listeners through what happened, how he responded, and how the story ultimately became part of the FBI's ongoing public corruption investigation. The episode also explores newly surfaced allegations by an unincorporated Livermore resident involving a figure who also appears in the broader FBI story.

Few politicians have left a bigger mark on the East Bay than Don Perata. In a candid and often hilarious conversation, the former State Senate President Pro Tem, assemblymember, Alameda County supervisor, and almost-Oakland mayor reflects on a career that helped shape California politics for more than four decades. Perata discusses how Sacramento has changed—and why he believes the Legislature is worse off today than when he led the Senate. He shares his perspective on the FBI corruption investigation surrounding former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, explains being flummoxed about how to fix Oakland, and revisits the triumphs, feuds, and colorful characters that defined his long political career. Along the way, Perata offers stories only an insider could tell, mixing sharp political observations with the self-effacing humor and blunt honesty that made him one of the East Bay's most influential—and controversial—figures.

The votes are in, and the June Primary election results are already reshaping East Bay politics. This week, Steve Tavares, Trishala Vinnakota, and Justin Berton break down the surprising defeat of Oakland's Measure E parcel tax, the outcomes of revenue measures in Hayward and Castro Valley, and what the results could mean for future tax and bond proposals across Alameda County. In congressional politics, Aisha Wahab emerged as the clear frontrunner in the crowded 14th Congressional District race. We also analyzes Scott Sakakihara's strong performance in the 10th State Senate District contest, the latest developments in the Alameda County District Attorney race between Ursula Jones Dickson and Pamela Price, and what California voters signaled in the governor's race. Plus, what these results reveal about the political mood of East Bay voters heading into November—and an introduction to the newest member of the East Bay Insiders team.