Brandon Harami, formerly the Community Resilience Director for the City of Oakland, has been terminated from his position amidst significant controversy surrounding allegations of misusing government resources. The dismissal is part of a broader shake-up within Oakland City Hall under interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins. A recent social media post by "East Oakland Dad" brought the issue to public attention, questioning: > "Who is Brandon Harami (@BrandonHarami) and why did he use Oakland government resources to troll tax-paying citizens?"
The NAACP Oakland chapter was a vocal critic, accusing Harami of a "deliberate campaign to target and manipulate Black leaders and organizations" and "regularly troll[ing] and insult[ing] Black Oaklanders and leaders online." These claims suggest a pattern of conduct that extended beyond his official duties, prompting calls for his removal.
A central allegation involved Harami's purported inclusion of Andre Jones, then-Mayor Sheng Thao's romantic partner and an individual later indicted on federal charges, in official city email correspondence. The NAACP highlighted this, stating it raised "grave ethical questions about misuse of city resources and the involvement of unelected and now criminally-indicted individuals in public business."
Harami has consistently denied the accusations, characterizing his termination as "clearly retaliatory action" linked to a prior settlement he secured against an NAACP officer for harassment. He also gained public attention through a legal dispute with political activist Seneca Scott, which resulted in the City of Oakland obtaining a restraining order against Scott for homophobic harassment and doxxing against Harami.
Harami's firing aligns with interim Mayor Jenkins' efforts to reorganize the city administration following the recall of Mayor Thao. The city's Public Ethics Commission plays a crucial role in upholding government integrity, tasked with investigating violations such as the misuse of public resources. This incident underscores the ongoing scrutiny and importance of ethical conduct within Oakland's municipal operations.