{"id":481012,"date":"2026-10-01T00:20:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T00:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/481012\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:20:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T00:20:08","slug":"anaheim-council-demands-probe-into-mayors-alleged-racial-slurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/481012\/","title":{"rendered":"Anaheim council demands probe into mayor’s alleged racial slurs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pressure is mounting on Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken as more City Council members speak out over allegations that she used racial slurs <\/a>against her chief of staff.<\/p>\n

Three council members are now pushing for the city to move quickly on an investigation into the accusations<\/a>, while calls are also growing for officials to make public the documents outlining the claims.<\/p>\n

The controversy surfaced after Aitken\u2019s chief of staff, Berenice Ballinas, accused the mayor of making racist and homophobic remarks<\/a> directed at her, the LA Times\u2019 Daily Pilot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken attends the first Anaheim City Council meeting following the release of the JL Group report in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The remarks include calling Ballinas a \u201cdirty Mexican\u201d and questioning her sexuality during a lunch at Disneyland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn various occasions when Ms. Ballinas was forced to drive Mayor Aitkin home, Mayor Aitkin [sic] exclaimed that she did \u2018not want her car driven by a dirty Mexican,\u2019\u201d employment attorney Lawrence Lennemann wrote in his mediation request to Anaheim City Attorney Robert Fabela.<\/p>\n

It also details a June lunch at Disneyland\u2019s hyper-exclusive Club 33 and California Adventure\u2019s 1901 Lounge.<\/p>\n

Berenice Ballinas is pictured. Ballinas has accused a California mayor of bad conduct, including calling a top staffer a \u2018dirty Mexican\u2019 and making sexual comments at Disneyland. Linkedin<\/p>\n

Club 33 is renowned by Disney fans for costing tens of thousands of dollars to obtain a membership. The 1901 lounge is also exclusive to Club 33 members.<\/p>\n

At the destinations, Aitken questioned Ballinas\u2019 sexuality in front of other people, reports said. The mayor also allegedly gossiped about a Disney worker\u2019s sexual orientation and ethnicity.<\/p>\n

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Several Disney employees complained about Aitken\u2019s conduct and a third party\u2019s Club 33 membership was suspended, the letter said.<\/p>\n

Aitken, who\u2019s running for reelection, has denied the allegations.<\/p>\n

Councilwoman Natalie Meeks had previously been the only member of the council to publicly address the accusations, calling for an investigation last week.<\/p>\n

Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz attends the first Anaheim City Council meeting following the release of the JL Group report in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. The meeting was the first since the release of the Angel Stadium report. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

That changed during Tuesday night\u2019s City Council meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stand with Councilmember Meeks in demanding an expedited investigation. If the allegations are shown to be correct, I will also ask for the Mayor\u2019s resignation,\u201d Councilwoman Norma Campos Kurtz said, according to the Voice of OC<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Anaheim Council and Planning meet Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in Anaheim. Anaheim Council and Planning Commission Meetings<\/p>\n

Kurtz also called for the council to hold a special closed-door meeting to discuss the allegations, the Voice of OC reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. City Attorney, I would like to request that a special meeting of the city council be scheduled prior to our next regular meeting of October 13th so the council may meet in closed session with the city attorney\u2019s office regarding the threat of litigation stemming from the alleged conduct of the mayor,\u201d Kurtz said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kurtz wants documents about Ballinas\u2019s allegation to be made public.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aitken challenged Kurtz\u2019 comments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to commend Councilmember Kurtz on her bravery for coming out and joining this and kicking me while I\u2019m down, two weeks after this has happened. I have called for an independent investigation,\u201d Aitken said. \u201cThis process is going to play out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aitken added that she welcomes the investigation because she wants to clear her name and \u201cis all about\u201d democracy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anaheim District 5 Council Member Kristen Maahs attends a council meeting in Anaheim on Sept. 22, 2026. Anaheim Council and Planning Commission Meetings<\/p>\n

Other council members like Kristen Maahs and Ryan Balius also spoke out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no room for racism in our city period,\u201d said Councilwoman Kristen Maahs. \u201cI\u2019m not only concerned about how our residents feel, but how our city staff feels.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Mexican myself, I don\u2019t look it and I haven\u2019t been included in some of the comments tonight but I\u2019m half Mexican,\u201d Maahs added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken speaks during an unveiling of Little Arabia freeway signs in Anaheim, California, on Thursday, September 19, 2024. Signs will be placed on the 5 and 91 freeways directing people to the city\u2019s first cultural district. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Councilman Ryan Balius said he believes in due process and the matter being investigated, suggesting that Aitken may want to take time off while that happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe strongly in innocent until proven guilty,\u201d Balius said.\u00a0 \u201cI know when we have investigations in the city and what not, we oftentimes will put staff on investigatory leave. And I don\u2019t know how to do that on city council, but I would ask the mayor \u2013 I mean we obviously got some pain in the community \u2013 maybe it is a good idea to suspend the public calendar until the investigation is over.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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