Anaheim Councilwoman Natalie Meeks has publicly called for an immediate investigation into serious allegations against Mayor Ashleigh Aitken. Mayor Aitken is accused of using a racist term when referring to her chief of staff and repeatedly questioning and commenting on the aide’s perceived sexuality. The request was made during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, coming after residents voiced strong condemnation and some demanded the mayor's resignation.
Councilwoman Meeks publicly requested an immediate probe into the accusations, emphasizing that the city "owe[s] it to the community" to seriously address such allegations. She added that if the allegations are found to be true, she would join residents in calling for the mayor’s resignation, but stressed that the situation merits a full investigation.
Mayor Aitken, addressing the council, stated she would readily and truthfully participate in any investigation requested. She also asked people to "take a moment and look at my record," her initiatives, and her demonstrated values, while noting she was limited in what she could say. Mayor Aitken did not respond to a request for further comment on Wednesday morning.
The controversy stems from a confidential mediation letter sent to the city on behalf of Mayor Aitken’s Chief of Staff, Berenice Ballinas. TimesOC first reported on the letter, which accuses Mayor Aitken of making racist remarks to Ballinas and frequently commenting on her sexuality. The letter also alleges former City Manager Jim Vanderpool similarly questioned and commented on Ballinas’ perceived sexual orientation and that city officials retaliated against Ballinas, partly by withholding an approved raise. Mr. Vanderpool, who could not be reached for comment, resigned earlier this year amidst scrutiny over his close ties to Anaheim resort interests, which were a central focus of an FBI corruption probe. Ballinas’ attorney did not respond to a request for comment. The Voice of OC filed a public records request for the mediation letter on Tuesday.
City Attorney Rob Fabela confirmed at the meeting that a process is in place for personnel investigations when Meeks followed up on her request. Fabela did not respond to questions Wednesday morning regarding the investigation’s process, timeline, or whether results would be made public.
The allegations surface months before Mayor Aitken, a Democrat, is up for reelection. She is set to face two relatively unknown political newcomers: Dr. Imran Sharief, a physician, and Alfredo Rodriguez, a general manager of an environmental services company. Councilwoman Meeks, a Republican, is running for reelection unopposed.
This latest controversy adds to a history of scandals at Anaheim City Hall, including an FBI corruption probe that affected a stadium deal and raised questions about the undue influence of resort interests on city leaders. These past events have fueled ongoing resident demands for transparency and government accountability. Homeless advocate Thomas Fielder drew a comparison between the city and the Titanic, noting warnings about problems and ongoing issues at city hall before an "enormous iceberg appeared" with these latest allegations. Fielder added that despite calls for investigations into the misuse of taxpayer dollars and systemic corruption, City Hall often proceeded at “full speed ahead.”
Several residents and local activists publicly condemned the mayor during Tuesday evening’s meeting, criticizing a perceived lack of transparency and accountability at city hall and expressing support for Ballinas. Resident and homeless advocate David Duran called the alleged remarks incredibly offensive, stating that an allegation that an Anaheim employee was referred to as "dirty Mexican" is racist. He stressed that Mexican and Latino families are not a lesser class of residents in Anaheim and deserve respect and civil rights.
Family members of Alberto Arzola, a 19-year-old killed by an Anaheim officer in December, also spoke. Leslie Lopez, Arzola’s cousin, shared that hearing about the mayor’s alleged statements was saddening and made her question if this perspective contributed to her family not being taken seriously in their ongoing demands for transparency regarding her cousin's death. Police officials state a gang suppression unit attempted to approach Arzola for suspected vandalism, leading to a chase to his home where a struggle ensued and an officer fired his weapon. They also reported a loaded firearm was found in the grass next to him and released an eight-minute video with snippets of body camera footage. Arzola's relatives have regularly attended council meetings to demand transparency and accountability, arguing the officer used excessive force.
Mayor Aitken was elected in 2022 on a platform of transparency and reform following an FBI corruption scandal that led to her predecessor’s resignation and imprisonment. During her tenure, she advanced a host of transparency reforms adopted by the city council but did not heed demands to dismiss certain officials implicated in the corruption scandal or to enact broad restrictions on local campaign finance. Aitken also advocated for and supported immigration aid funding amid widespread deportation raids and caused controversy after she invited a group of self-described queer and transgender nuns to an Angels Pride Night as her guests after the LA Dodgers disinvited them from their own event. Ballinas herself is a board member of Emerge California, an organization that trains and empowers Democratic women from diverse backgrounds to run for elected office, and has a background working in the California State Legislature and on political campaigns.
