Amid the turbulent waters of an FBI investigation, Francis Zamora, the chief of communications for Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, tendered his resignation on Monday, an official confirmation from the mayor's office reveals. Zamora's exit comes on the heels of an emotionally charged news conference where Mayor Thao declared her innocence after her home became the target of a federal search. "I resigned my position as Chief of Communications," Zamora expressed, "I thank my colleagues for their professionalism and dedication. It was an honor to serve the City of Oakland beside them," in a statement obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Simultaneously, notable is the departure of Sheng Thao's attorney, Tony Brass, who parted ways with the mayor on the same day as Zamora. According to Brass, the timing of his resignation was coincidental and unrelated to a news conference scheduled for that day, which he mentioned he wasn't even aware of. Brass recounted a cordial parting with Thao, "She received my request very cordially and thanked me for my work," as reported by NBC Bay Area. Thao has since secured new legal representation over the past weekend.

Last Thursday painted a curious picture as FBI agents were seen removing boxes from Thao's residence, which she shares with her son and partner. Further igniting intrigue, searches were conducted at properties owned by the Duong family, a clan wielding significant influence within local politics, and the proprietors of Cal Waste Solutions, a recycling behemoth. The Federal Bureau's lips remain sealed about what they were seeking both at the mayor's abode and the trio of locations linked to the influential family, according to details from KTVU.

In the wake of the raid and subsequent resignations, Mayor Thao persists as the city's leader, clinging to her sworn vow that she has done nothing to contravene the law. "I want to be crystal clear: I have done nothing wrong," Thao avowed at Monday's news conference, "I can tell you with confidence that this investigation is not about me. I have not been charged with a crime, and I am confident that I will not be charged with a crime because I am innocent." Pati Navalta emerges as the interim communications chief, filling the void left by Zamora's abrupt exit as reported by KTVU.