You have to give it to Democrats, they’re consistent – consistently on the wrong side of every 80/20 issue.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is our most recent example. She recently witnessed a public safety philosophy she once endorsed in a most unsettling way.
Reports indicate that a thief managed to break into her City Hall office, snatch her keys, and drive off in a city-owned black SUV. The incident took place not in a remote parking lot or an unlit garage, but right from within City Hall itself. That’s big-time karma for a “defund the police” advocate like Lee.
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You can’t help but admire the irony. A vehicle paid for by taxpayers was taken from the mayor’s own office in a city that has spent years claiming the need to “restructure” its approach to policing. Fortunately, police were able to recover the SUV just a few hours later.
“The Oakland Police Department is investigating the theft of a city-owned vehicle. On February 17, 2026, OPD was notified that the vehicle was stolen from Oakland City Hall,” a spokesperson said.
“The vehicle was recovered within hours. OPD is following up on potential leads.”
It’s striking how swiftly the traditional law enforcement model becomes crucial when crime permeates City Hall.
The timing here is of major import.
In 2020, amid the height of the defund movement, Lee expressed that she was “really proud” of the Minneapolis City Council’s commitment to defund the local police.
Really proud.
There was no attempt to soften the message. No qualifications. No second-guessing about the direction in which the movement was heading. At that time, “defund” was not a phrase up for interpretation; it was a clear call to reallocate resources away from police departments and reduce their influence. She fully embraced it.
She would later declare: “We have to restructure our funding priorities in terms of how we make our communities safe.”
That statement was significant. In the political climate of 2020, “restructure” referred to reducing the number of officers, moving away from traditional enforcement methods, and placing greater trust in alternative approaches. It implied that the old model was flawed and required a reduction in its scope.
And she continued to push the lunacy: “We can’t wait. It’s time to overhaul our policing system.”
Overhaul represents much more than just minor adjustments; it’s a complete teardown. It starts with the understanding that what currently exists is fundamentally flawed and needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Oakland has been living through this ‘rebuilding process.’ In 2024, the city reported 9,914 motor vehicle thefts, while its overall crime rate has consistently been several times higher than the national average. The police department has been operating with around 280 fewer officers than needed. Residents don’t require policy papers to grasp the impact of this situation; they’ve been double-checking their locks and praying their cars remain where they parked them.
Crime has shifted from mere statistics to a powerful symbol. It didn’t limit itself to specific neighborhoods or avoid the attention of elected officials. Allegedly, it even made its way into City Hall, walked straight into the mayor’s office, grabbed the keys to a city vehicle, and drove off.
You won’t believe with the defund the police advocate said after the theft: “No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker, or the Mayor. Public safety is a priority across our entire city.”
The lack of self-awareness is just…astounding.
