Breitbart reported this week that the Democratic mayor of Anaheim, California has resigned amidst a corruption investigation.
Mayor Harry Sidhu announced on Monday that he had decided to step down. That news was communicated on the city’s official Twitter account.
Anaheim has received a letter indicating Mayor Sidhu is resigning, effective May 24. Read letter here: https://t.co/xayYYbePDQ@KTLA @ABC7 @NBCLA @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/YkwHy9rnTG
— City of Anaheim (@City_of_Anaheim) May 23, 2022
Breitbart noted that Sidhu is not the only member of his party to quit, as Democratic National Committee member and state party secretary Melahat Rafiei left both of his positions as related allegations mount.
Corruption probe
The Orange County Register explained in an article earlier this month that federal investigators are looking into the sale of Angel Stadium.
The paper cited a federal affidavit that focuses on whether Sidhu “shared privileged and confidential information with the Angels during stadium sale negotiations, actively concealed same from a Grand Jury inquiry, and expects to receive campaign contributions as a result.”
The Register also reported that other city officials expressed concern after learning that the mayor is under federal investigation.
One of them is Anaheim City Manager Jim Vanderpool, who issued a statement which read, “We are troubled by this. Throughout this process, Anaheim staff and the City Council have worked in good faith on a proposal that offered benefits for our community.”
Denials
In an article published on Tuesday, the Register noted that Sidhu’s attorney, Paul S. Meyer, released a statement that denied any wrongdoing and claimed the mayor was dedicated to public service.
“The negotiations followed lawful practices used in all major business negotiations,” Meyer declared. “No closed session material, no secret information, was disclosed by Mayor Sidhu.
“The government affidavit confirms that Harry never asked for a political campaign contribution that was linked in any way to the negotiation process,” he went on to say.
The lawyer concluded by insisting that “[m]eeting the needs of the community has been, and will always be, Harry Sidhu’s top priority.”