Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken has publicly admitted to having an alcohol problem and stated she checked herself into a rehabilitation center last year. This admission, made via an Instagram post on a Friday morning, came minutes after city council members emerged from a special closed-door meeting to discuss a public claim against the city from Aitken’s Chief of Staff, Berenice Ballinas. Aitken continues to deny specific allegations from Ballinas regarding racist slurs, questioning of sexuality, and mocking of faith.
In her social media post, Mayor Aitken shared that in June 2025, she left a conference early to enter the Betty Ford Center. She acknowledged an "unhealthy relationship with alcohol" and a need for help managing stress. While accepting responsibility for her alcohol consumption, she maintained that this does not equate to what she termed "the more serious allegations" made against her, stating, "I have denied the slurs attributed to me, and I stand by that denial."
Ballinas' claim, which went public the day before the Mayor's announcement, alleges that Aitken drank heavily at government functions, hurled racist slurs at Ballinas, questioned her sexuality, and mocked her faith. Aitken also noted in her post that her recovery journey had a setback this past June (unstated year) when she drank at a birthday event, expressing disappointment in herself and committing to restart her recovery.
According to Ballinas' claim, an incident occurred on June 10, 2026, at a birthday celebration for Ballinas at Disneyland’s Club 33. The claim alleges the Mayor began consuming alcoholic beverages during lunch and repeatedly questioned Ballinas concerning her sexual orientation. Following the three-hour lunch, the Mayor reportedly insisted on continuing to drink.
Ballinas further claims that after the lunch, she and Aitken met with one of Ballinas' friends at the 1901 Lounge in Disney California Adventure, where Aitken allegedly began to question a Disney Cast Member about their sexuality. Ballinas also claims her friend's Club 33 membership was placed on hold as a result of the Mayor’s behavior.
The claim also includes allegations that former City Manager Jim Vanderpool commented about Ballinas’ perceived sexuality. Additionally, Ballinas alleges Aitken referred to Vanderpool as a “faggot man” and searched his car. Ballinas’ claim portrays a city hall culture where top executives allegedly dismissed and downplayed her concerns. She further alleges conduct she believed was illegal concerning questions about who paid for Aitken’s husband’s plane ticket to Qatar and claims that city officials retaliated against her for reporting concerns by withholding her salary raise.
Following the closed-door meeting on Friday morning, which Mayor Aitken did not attend, city officials publicly reported that no reportable action was taken regarding the claim. During the public portion of the meeting, approximately half a dozen residents spoke out, with many condemning city leadership for allegedly minimizing Ballinas’ concerns and only initiating an investigation after the scandal became public. Resident Stephanie Mercadante questioned, "Where was the investigation when Berenice was asking city leadership for help?"
Councilman Carlos Leon broke his silence on Friday regarding the allegations. In an Instagram post, he stated that the allegations are serious and warrant a fair investigation. He affirmed belief in due process for all involved and letting facts guide conclusions, adding, "An independent investigator has now been retained to review the allegations and establish the facts." Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava also weighed in on Friday afternoon, expressing deep trouble by the accusations and supporting an independent investigation, emphasizing that residents and communities, particularly Latino and LGBTQ+, need to know their representatives respect them.
City spokesman Mike Lyster confirmed in an email statement on Thursday that an independent investigation into the allegations is anticipated to take place over the next few months. Mayor Aitken reiterated in her Instagram post that she would cooperate with the investigation, stating, "Where I made mistakes, I will own them. As to other allegations, I trust the evidence will bear out the truth." Aitken also expressed regret for not believing her community would support her, wishing she had shared her story on her own terms.
Reflecting on her recovery, Aitken stated, "My recovery is not a straight line. I apologize to anyone burdened by my drinking, especially my family. They all deserved better from me." Ballinas' claim also details an incident during a June 2025 conference in Tampa, where Aitken's husband allegedly called Ballinas in the middle of the night to help pack Aitken's belongings and arrange her return to California, encountering the Mayor in what Ballinas perceived to be an impaired condition. Following this, the Mayor was reportedly absent for an extended period, during which Ballinas was expected to manage inquiries about her whereabouts and professional responsibilities.
This situation comes as Mayor Aitken is seeking reelection next month against two other candidates, Dr. Imran Sharief and Alfredo Rodriguez. Aitken concluded her Instagram post by vowing to be a better leader for Anaheim and to continue her recovery journey.
