Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken has for the first time explicitly denied allegations that she called her Chief of Staff, Berenice Ballinas, a racial slur. The denial comes as an investigation into the allegations of harassment by Aitken and former City Manager Jim Vanderpool is underway.
Mayor Aitken addressed the claims in a statement posted on Facebook Thursday evening. "These allegations are extremely serious, and they deserve to be investigated," Aitken's statement read. She further stated that she did not use the racial slur attributed to her and maintained that she has always championed the LGBTQ community. This social media post expanded on earlier, brief statements issued by the Mayor this week, where she indicated limitations on public discussion due to an ongoing personnel matter and urged reflection on her record. Aitken reiterated that Ballinas remains a city employee and that strict limits apply to what she can responsibly discuss publicly regarding the matter.
The investigation into the allegations against Mayor Aitken was called for by Councilwoman Natalie Meeks a day after TimesOC reported on a confidential mediation letter. This letter, sent to the city on behalf of Ballinas, reportedly details alleged harassment not only by Aitken but also by former City Manager Jim Vanderpool. The allegations against the Mayor also include repeatedly questioning and commenting on Ballinas' perceived sexuality.
City Spokesman Mike Lyster confirmed the ongoing process in a Friday morning email. Lyster stated that a process is underway which "will involve a full, fair and independent investigation" of the issues and concerns raised. Lyster added that the city aims to respect all involved parties and would not be sharing additional updates at this time. However, Lyster did not provide answers to questions regarding the exact nature of the investigation's process, who would be conducting it, its anticipated duration, or whether its results would be made public.
Mayor Aitken affirmed her commitment to cooperating with the investigation and expressed care for Ballinas in her Thursday statement. She also stated her belief that she is "entitled to have these extraordinarily serious allegations evaluated on the evidence."
Berenice Ballinas’ attorney, Lawrence Lennemann, declined to comment on the matter.
Despite calls from first amendment advocates, who compare it to a claim against the government and argue it should be publicly releasable under state law, the city has not yet publicly released the confidential mediation letter detailing the allegations.
Former City Manager Jim Vanderpool, who could not be reached for comment, resigned near the beginning of the year. His resignation occurred amid scrutiny over his close ties to Anaheim resort interests, which were a significant focus of an FBI corruption probe.
This latest development in Anaheim's city leadership comes approximately one month before Mayor Aitken is scheduled for reelection. She is running against two relatively unknown political newcomers: Dr. Imran Sharief, a physician, and Alfredo Rodriguez, a general manager of an environmental services company. Anaheim is a city where 53% of its residents are Latino.
In response to the allegations, a handful of local activists and residents called for Mayor Aitken’s resignation at Tuesday’s city council meeting. They also condemned her for the alleged comments.
Anaheim officials are scheduled to convene for their regular city council meeting on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Following this, they are expected to meet again on Wednesday at 1 p.m. behind closed doors. The Wednesday session is designated to continue deliberations on appointing a new city manager.
