Anaheim Councilwoman Natalie Meeks has publicly requested an immediate investigation into serious allegations made against Mayor Ashleigh Aitken. The controversy centers on claims that Mayor Aitken referred to her chief of staff by a racist term and repeatedly questioned her aide’s perceived sexuality.
During Tuesday night's city council meeting, Councilwoman Meeks stated, "We owe it to the community to take accusations like this seriously and to address them." She added that if the allegations are found to be true, she would join community calls for the mayor’s resignation, emphasizing that the situation merits an investigation. Meeks, a Republican, is running for reelection unopposed.
The allegations, first reported by TimesOC, stem from a confidential mediation letter sent to the city on behalf of Berenice Ballinas, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff. The letter accuses Mayor Aitken of making racist remarks to Ballinas and repeatedly commenting on and questioning her sexuality. The letter also alleges that former City Manager Jim Vanderpool similarly asked about and commented on Ballinas’ perceived sexual orientation, and that Ballinas experienced retaliation from city officials, including the withholding of an approved raise.
Mayor Aitken addressed the council, stating she is limited in what she can say but asking residents to consider her record, the initiatives she has championed, and her demonstrated values. She affirmed her willingness to participate truthfully and readily in any investigation. Aitken did not respond to a request for follow-up comment.
City Attorney Rob Fabela confirmed that a process for personnel investigations is in place when Councilwoman Meeks reiterated her request for a probe. However, Fabela did not respond to questions regarding the investigation's process, duration, or whether its results would be made public.
This latest controversy unfolds months before Mayor Aitken, a Democrat, is up for reelection, facing Dr. Imran Sharief and Alfredo Rodriguez. 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 has pushed for transparency reforms but did not adopt certain demands, such as firing officials implicated in the corruption scandal or implementing wide-reaching restrictions on local campaign finance. Ballinas, beyond her role as chief of staff, serves on the board of Emerge California, an organization that trains and empowers Democratic women from diverse backgrounds for elected office.
The allegations have ignited strong reactions from residents and local activists. Thomas Fielder, a homeless advocate, likened the city's current situation to the Titanic, noting prior scandals and whistleblower claims. He stated, "And then late last night, boom! An enormous iceberg appeared. The mayor’s own chief policy adviser has come forward with allegations of racial harassment, religious harassment, and sexual orientation harassment."
David Duran, another resident and homeless advocate, expressed that the alleged remarks were incredibly offensive. He stated, "The allegations stated that you referred to an Anaheim employee as a dirty Mexican is racist." Duran stressed that Mexican and Latino families are not a lesser class of residents nor are their communities political props. Leslie Lopez, a cousin of Alberto Arzola, a 19-year-old killed by an Anaheim officer in December, shared that reading about the alleged comments was saddening. She questioned if such sentiments contributed to her family not being taken seriously by city officials in their demands for transparency regarding Arzola's death. Arzola's family has regularly attended council meetings, arguing excessive force was used in his killing; police officials maintain an officer fired during a struggle after a gang suppression unit attempted to approach Arzola for suspected vandalism. A loaded firearm was reportedly recovered near him, and footage has been released.
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 suggest the letter should be publicly released under state law, comparing it to a claim against the government.
The allegations mark another challenging period for a city hall that has faced years of scandals, including an FBI corruption probe that revealed questions about the influence of Anaheim resort interests on city leaders, fostering resident demands for greater transparency and government accountability.
