July 7, 2008 - 20:20

Oakland's Edgerly breaks silence; denies interfering in gang sweep involving nephew

Embattled former Oakland City Administrator Deborah Edgerly denied that she interfered with a police gang sweep involving her nephew and said that her dismissal by Mayor Ron Dellums was not fair and unwarranted.

In an exclusive interview on KTVU Channel 2's Randy Shandobil, Edgerly broke her two week-plus silence Monday, saying that reports of her interfering on behalf of a nephew during a June 7 gang sweep in West Oakland were just flatly inaccurate.

"I did not intervene (in the gang sweep). I did not provide any information (to my nephew)," Edgerly said. "Not only did I not, I would not."

Edgerly, 56, told the TV station that other recent suggestions of nepotism and other administrative irregularities at City Hall that have occurred under her watch were untrue and unsubstantiated.

After two weeks on nearly unending chaos at Oakland City Hall, Edgerly was fired from office last Tuesday by Dellums after squabbling with the mayor first over whether she would retain authority over the city's police department and then whether she would stick to her planned July 31 retirement date.

When Edgerly signaled that she wanted to retire Dec. 31 instead, the mayor acted to dismiss her outright.

City hall observers are expecting that Edgerly will shortly sue the mayor and the city over the matter.

In the meantime, the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier Monday that Edgerly appears to be set to retire in some degree of financial comfort. Not only will she walk away with a check for about $90,000 in unused vacation, sick and management leave pay, she will also enjoy an estimated $148,000 annual pension from the city.

Jeff Mitchell is a PolitickerCA.com Editor and can be reached via email at noreply@politicker.com.

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