Thao has maintained her innocence and denied she is at the center of a public corruption scandal. She has largely laid low since being recalled in November.

The appointment reflects a key component of the alleged conspiracy: to fill major city staff roles with people who could favor Thao’s campaign backers for heavy public funding.

Federal prosecutors in California have indicted the former mayor of Oakland, her longtime partner and two business owners for bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud