An independent investigation into Ballinas\u2019 claims that Aitken called her a \u201cdirty Mexican,\u201d persistently questioned her sexuality and mocked her Catholic faith, sometimes at city functions where she had been drinking alcohol, is underway. <\/p>\n
But the mayor, who has denied the allegations while admitting to an \u201cunhealthy relationship\u201d with alcohol, doesn\u2019t believe the scandal will deter voters from returning her to office. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve delivered results for Anaheim over the past four years,\u201d Aitken wrote in an email. \u201cWhen reelected, I\u2019ll work with residents to bring in high-paying jobs, build housing that working families can afford, keep our community spaces clean and safe and advocate for youth and seniors.\u201d <\/p>\n
Aitken\u2019s reelection could be likely, as she faces two political newcomers \u2014 Dr. Imran Sharief and Alfredo Rodriguez \u2014 with far less name recognition. But her opponents are using the situation to their advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cAitken should have resigned already so that our community could begin taking the necessary steps towards healing,\u201d Sharief said. \u201cWhen I\u2019m out talking to residents, we\u2019re hearing that people are tired of the drama and distractions surrounding City Hall. They want leadership that puts the community first.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rodriguez stressed the need for the allegations to be addressed transparently but said that a bigger problem of broken trust in city leadership remains. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnaheim has experienced its share of controversy involving city leadership over the years,\u201d he said. \u201cI believe it\u2019s time for a new chapter, one built on integrity, accountability, transparency and respect for every resident.\u201d<\/p>\n
Should voters reelect Aitken, what that would mean politically is up for debate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s sometimes an analysis that wrongly takes a scheduled election as some kind of referendum or mandate that the voters did not intend,\u201d said Jodi Balma, a political science professor at Fullerton College. \u201cThe city\u2019s investigation will go forward after all the ballots are counted.\u201d <\/p>\n
Aitken\u2019s campaign contrasts with the moment she proudly made history four years ago as the first female mayor of Orange County\u2019s most populous city. <\/p>\n
The milestone came at a crossroads.<\/p>\n
A once-in-a-century pandemic had ravaged the city\u2019s tourist-driven economy. An FBI investigation revealed a self-described \u201ccabal\u201d<\/a> that cast a shadow of corruption over City Hall and led to former Mayor Harry Sidhu\u2019s resignation<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last few years have been tumultuous,\u201d Aitken said after being sworn in on Dec. 6, 2022. \u201cWe have been let down by leaders that were incapable of placing residents\u2019 needs ahead of personal greed.\u201d<\/p>\n Aitken, the daughter of influential Democratic Party of Orange County power broker Wylie Aitken, had just come from a bruising loss to Sidhu in 2018, and promised reform. <\/p>\n \u201cI implemented important new ethics reforms, including lobbyist reforms to reduce the undue influence in our city,\u201d Aitken said. \u201cVoters have seen these results, and they trust that I\u2019ll continue fighting for them.\u201d <\/p>\n A protester holds up a sign demanding Mayor Aitken\u2019s resignation after allegations of racism by a former employee surfaced. The mayor denies the allegations. <\/p>\n (James Carbone)<\/p>\n But the legal claim about Aitken\u2019s alleged conduct during Ballinas\u2019 time as chief of staff from 2022 to at least June 2026 stands at odds with her public-facing political persona.<\/p>\n Ballinas, who filed her claim in September and is on leave from City Hall, alleged the mayor dodged questions<\/a> about a Qatar trip, including from the city\u2019s ethics officer, after the Qatari embassy paid for Aitken and her husband, Michael Penn, to attend an economic forum in Doha last year. <\/p>\n The Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces the state\u2019s gift laws, initially declined to investigate a constituent\u2019s complaint as an embassy email showed Penn being invited as a representative of Chapman University, not as the spouse of the mayor. The watchdog agency has not made a decision since the complaint was refiled, citing Ballinas\u2019 allegations, which include her account about how the trip was scheduled. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793404690_401_.jpeg\")
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