A majority of Anaheim City Council members have publicly addressed allegations that the mayor made racial slurs against her chief of staff. This week, three council members specifically called for an expedited investigation into these claims, alongside increasing demands for the public release of documents detailing the allegations.
This development follows Councilwoman Natalie Meeks' public call for an investigation a week prior. The LA Times’ Daily Pilot initially reported that the mayor’s chief of staff, Berenice Ballinas, alleged the mayor made racist and homophobic comments. The mayor denies these allegations.
During Tuesday's council meeting, Councilwoman Norma Campos Kurtz joined the call for action, stating, “I stand with Councilmember Meeks in demanding an expedited investigation. If the allegations are shown to be correct, I will also ask for the Mayor’s resignation.” Kurtz requested a special closed-door meeting of the city council to be scheduled before the next regular meeting on October 13th. The purpose of this meeting, as stated by Kurtz, is for the council to consult with the city attorney’s office regarding the threat of litigation stemming from the mayor’s alleged conduct. She also sought an update on both the public release of claims documents submitted by Ballinas and the status of the investigation.
The mayor, who is up for reelection in November, responded to Kurtz’s comments. She welcomed an independent investigation, stating, “I need this independent investigation to clear my name and I really welcome it because that is what a democracy is all about – you are innocent until proven guilty.” She further noted that the process would play out and commented on Kurtz joining the discussion "kicking me while I'm down" two weeks after the allegations surfaced.
Scores of Anaheim residents raised concerns about the council's silence on the matter during public comment on Tuesday night. Former City Councilman Jose Moreno, who serves as president of the Latino advocacy group Los Amigos, addressed the council. Moreno highlighted the importance of district elections in Anaheim, which he said enabled Latino representation on the city council, and noted the mayor's past support for the switch from at-large to district elections. Moreno thanked Councilwoman Meeks for being the only councilperson to call for accountability initially. He also criticized Council members Natalie Rubalcava, Carlos Leon, and Norma Campos Kurtz for their silence on the issue the previous week, suggesting it was a "betrayal to the ethics and the work of so many who have marched on your behalf so you can have those seats." Council members Rubalcava and Leon, both on November’s ballot, did not publicly speak on the issue during the Tuesday night meeting.
Councilwoman Kristen Maahs also weighed in, asserting, “There is no room for racism in our city period.” Maahs expressed concern for both residents and city staff. She stated her anticipation of all facts coming forward and suggested that anyone using the situation for “political gain and political theater” demonstrated a lack of character. Maahs later noted her own Mexican heritage.
Councilman Ryan Balius joined the increasing calls for an expedited investigation. Balius affirmed his belief in the principle of "innocent until proven guilty." He clarified that his previous silence indicated agreement with Councilmember Meeks' initial call for an investigation. Balius also proposed that the mayor consider suspending her public calendar until the investigation concludes, acknowledging the "pain in the community" and drawing a parallel to staff being placed on investigatory leave during such processes.
