Attorney: Yee withdraws from Calif. Secretary of State race

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- An attorney for State Senator Leland Yee announced early Thursday afternoon that his client is withdrawing from the California Secretary of State race. He did not, however, comment on calls for Yee to resign.

Other than that, Yee is keeping a low profile just one day after being arrested on corruption charges. But, new details are emerging. And his neighbors and constituents are reacting.

We know Yee went back to his home in San Francisco's Sunset District after he was released. We tried knocking on the door, but there was no answer.

There was, however, reason to think he's inside. At about 10 a.m. Thursday, a woman calling herself a supporter dropped off muffins.

That as neighbors come to terms with the scandal that's touched their lives.

"That seems, you know, very out of character for somebody in his position, to me," neighbor Jason Pett said. "So, it's surprising. Especially in this neighborhood. It's very, you know, homey neighborhood. So you'd never expect something like that to happen."

Some neighbors knew a state senator lived among them. Some didn't. Those I talked with say there was little unusual about Leland Yee.

"Just a neighbor, not much deal with political, you know, just say hi good morning," neighbor Simon Chu said.

Fellow neighbor Eduard Muzichenko added, "Nothing suspicious. Anyway, looked like normal guy."

Muzichenko does add that he'd see a lot of activity at the house and the garage was full, like a warehouse.

Yee is out on $500,000 bond.

The outspoken gun control advocate is accused of gun and drug trafficking, corruption, and soliciting money for political favors.

Federal agents descended Wednesday morning, searching homes and businesses in the Bay Area and Sacramento. They also searched a home in San Mateo that's thought to be a marijuana grow house.

The criminal complaint names 26 people and goes on for 137 pages. In it, undercover agents detailed their conversations and interactions with Yee and the others including a former school board member and infamous Chinatown gangster Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee spoke to us about the case Thursday morning.

"It's going to be hard for someone to effectively be in office at the time," he said. "But I have to say that he has his legal rights. I'm a lawyer by background. He's going to have to defend himself."

We spoke with Yee's attorney Thursday morning. He says there's no way to tell how long it'll be before his client formally enters a plea in court. But when he does, the attorney says Yee's plea will be not guilty.

There is a hearing scheduled for Monday to wrap up some loose ends as far as the conditions of Yee's released.

To read the entire complaint, click here.