Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken may soon be the subject of an investigation following allegations of racist remarks and questioning of her chief of staff’s perceived sexuality. Councilwoman Natalie Meeks publicly requested an immediate probe into these accusations during Tuesday night’s city council meeting, prompting discussion and resident condemnation. The allegations, reportedly detailed in a confidential mediation letter sent to the city, also implicate former City Manager Jim Vanderpool.
During the council meeting, Councilwoman Meeks, a Republican, emphasized the gravity of the allegations. She stated, "We owe it to the community to take accusations seriously," and directed staff to immediately begin and expedite an investigation. Meeks added that if the accusations are found to be true, she would join community calls for the mayor's resignation, but stressed that the situation first deserves an investigation. From the dais, Mayor Aitken acknowledged her limited ability to comment due to the nature of the allegations but affirmed her willingness to participate in any investigation truthfully. She encouraged the public to examine her record, the initiatives she has championed, the communities she has supported, her words, and the values she has demonstrated through her actions. City Attorney Rob Fabela confirmed that established processes are in place for personnel investigations when asked for follow-up by Meeks. However, Fabela did not respond to subsequent inquiries regarding the investigation's process, timeline, or whether its results would be made public.
The allegations against Mayor Aitken reportedly became public a day before the council meeting when TimesOC reported on a confidential mediation letter. This letter, submitted on behalf of the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Berenice Ballinas, accuses Aitken of referring to Ballinas with a racist term and repeatedly inquiring about and commenting on her perceived sexuality. The letter further alleges that former City Manager Jim Vanderpool also repeatedly asked about and commented on Ballinas’ perceived sexual orientation. Additionally, the TimesOC report indicated that Ballinas claims she faced retaliation from city officials, including the withholding of an approved raise. Mr. Vanderpool, who could not be reached for comment, resigned near the beginning of the year amid scrutiny over his close ties to Anaheim resort interests, a group that was a significant focus of an FBI corruption probe. Ballinas’ attorney did not respond to requests for comment. Beyond her role as chief of staff, Ballinas is a board member of Emerge California, an organization focused on training and empowering Democratic women from diverse backgrounds for elected office. She has also worked for the California State Legislature and on various local, state, and congressional political election campaigns. Voice of OC filed a public records request for Ballinas’ letter to city officials, but the city has not yet formally responded or provided the document. First Amendment advocates have suggested that such a document should be publicly releasable under state law, comparing it to a claim against the government.
These accusations emerge as the latest in a series of scandals that have affected Anaheim City Hall for years. The city has previously dealt with an FBI corruption probe that disrupted a stadium deal and raised concerns about the undue influence of Anaheim resort interests on city leaders, leading to demands for transparency and government accountability from residents. Mayor Aitken, a Democrat, was elected as Mayor in 2022 on a platform of transparency and reform in the wake of the FBI scandal that saw her predecessor resign and serve time in prison. During her tenure, she championed various transparency reforms that were passed by the city council. However, she did not heed demands to dismiss certain officials implicated in the corruption scandal or to adopt wide-reaching restrictions on local campaign finance. This controversy also arises months before Aitken's reelection bid, where she is running against two relatively unknown political newcomers.
Residents at the Tuesday night meeting expressed strong condemnation of the mayor over the allegations, criticizing a perceived lack of transparency and accountability at city hall and offering support for Ballinas. Thomas Fielder, a homeless advocate, drew a parallel between the city's current situation and the Titanic, remarking on past scandals and the city's continued course. He highlighted previous issues such as the Harry Sidhu Angel Stadium scandal, numerous lawsuits, whistleblower allegations, and retaliation claims, noting that residents have repeatedly demanded investigations into misuse of taxpayer dollars and allegations of systemic corruption. Fielder then described the latest allegations against the mayor as an "enormous iceberg" that appeared, involving alleged racial, religious, and sexual orientation harassment.
David Duran, a resident and homeless advocate, stated that Aitken’s alleged remarks were incredibly offensive, emphasizing that every resident, regardless of race, deserves respectful and dignified treatment. He criticized the alleged reference to an Anaheim employee as a "dirty Mexican," asserting that Mexican and Latino families are not a lesser class of residents in Anaheim, and their communities deserve respect and civil rights beyond being "political props." Relatives of Alberto Arzola, a 19-year-old killed by an Anaheim officer in December, also spoke during the meeting, linking the alleged remarks to their perception of not being taken seriously by city officials. Leslie Lopez, Arzola’s cousin, expressed sadness upon hearing about what the mayor allegedly said, questioning whether it contributed to her family's efforts to meet with officials being disregarded. She underscored the significant contribution of Mexican people to the Anaheim community. Arzola’s family has regularly attended city council meetings, demanding transparency and accountability for his death, arguing excessive force was used. Police officials maintain a gang suppression unit approached Arzola for suspected vandalism, leading to a chase, a struggle at his home, an officer firing his gun, and a loaded firearm being recovered nearby.
