Former Anaheim Mayor to Admit Guilt in Stadium Sale Corruption Case, City Weighs Reform Choices.
Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges
Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges related to the now-defunct Angel Stadium sale. This decision comes just a day after the Southern California city council announced plans to reform the way the city conducts business in response to a recent corruption investigation.
The charges against Sidhu include obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and lying to federal investigators. These charges stem from his actions during the city’s efforts to sell the stadium in 2020, according to court documents filed on August 16.
“While serving as Anaheim’s mayor, Mr. Sidhu took a series of actions that compromised the city’s negotiating position by providing confidential information and secretly working to influence the city’s decision-making process—all of which had a detrimental effect on the city and its residents,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally.
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Prosecutors allege that during the stadium sale negotiations, Sidhu provided confidential information to an Angels consultant and the then-Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Co-President Todd Ament. They claim that Sidhu expected a $1 million campaign contribution from the baseball team in exchange for the information.
Sidhu resigned last year after the Federal Bureau of Investigations released an affidavit implicating him in corruption.
At a recent city council meeting, Anaheim councilors discussed the findings of a city-commissioned report that detailed possible criminal conspiracy and alleged theft of COVID-19 relief funds. Mayor Ashleigh Aitken proposed various actions to address the allegations, but the council took a more cautious approach.
One proposal suggested stopping funding for Visit Anaheim, a nonprofit tourism agency mentioned in the report. Investigators claim that the agency received $6.5 million in Anaheim COVID-19 relief funds based on Sidhu’s advice. The report also alleges that Sidhu orchestrated the firing of former City Manager Chris Zapata when he spoke out against the funding decision.
The report further states that Sidhu directed Visit Anaheim’s director to divert $1.5 million of the COVID funds to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and to cover up the transaction if questioned.
During the council meeting, councilors voted to study the possibility of withholding future funds from Visit Anaheim. However, Councilman Jose Diaz expressed concerns about the potential impact on the city’s tourism industry.
“It’s not that I support what these people have done,” said Diaz. “It might hurt the people that we tried to protect. I believe it is going to hurt the people of Anaheim.”
Mayor Aitken echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of a functioning tourism bureau for the city’s economy. She also suggested exploring the return of the $1.5 million in COVID funds from Visit Anaheim.
In another action, councilors unanimously agreed to write a letter to the state auditor, expressing their willingness to cooperate fully with any state investigations related to the report.
Assemblyman Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim)
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