Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken is facing a growing laundry list of allegations from her chief of staff that she was regularly drunk on city business, to the point she had to be driven home from city hall and attempted to search the former city manager’s car while intoxicated.
Those are just some of the allegations highlighted in a 25-page claim from Berenice Ballinas, Aitken’s chief of staff, released by the city on Thursday, noting multiple dates she witnessed Aitken drunk along with a slew of other allegations of impropriety from former City Manager Jim Vanderpool and other city leaders.
To read the claim, click here.
Ballinas also alleges the duo harassed her, repeatedly questioned and commented about her sexuality and that Aitken called her “a dirty Mexican” in Vanderpool’s presence and that the mayor referred to God as “her imaginary friend.”
Aitken did not respond to a request for comment on the claim and the allegations against her Thursday morning, but has previously denied allegations she hurled racist and homophobic insults.
The claims drop about a month before Aitken looks to defend the mayor’s seat against two political newcomers in the November election.
Lawrence Lennemann, Ballinas’ attorney, said in a brief Thursday phone interview the claim speaks for itself and wouldn’t comment further on the allegations.
Ballinas also claims to have reported conduct she believed to have violated the law, including concerns the mayor did not reimburse the Qatar embassy nearly $17,000 for a trip to the Middle Eastern country, police overtime abuse, and Aitken using city staff to help with her prayer breakfast during city work hours on the taxpayer’s dime.
The Los Angeles Times’ Daily Pilot reported that the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission declined to investigate the Qatar issue.
Aitken and the rest of the city council will be discussing the claim at a special meeting behind closed doors tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Aitken’s chief of staff also claims that city leaders and elected officials knew about the mayor’s drinking and dismissed Ballinas’ concerns when she asked for help.
“City leadership, officials, employees, elected officials, governmental colleagues, and outside stakeholders were well aware of the Mayor’s alcohol consumption and her resulting condition and behavior from their own personal observations,” reads the claim.
“Additionally, Claimant repeatedly communicated her concerns to members of City leadership and sought assistance. However, rather than establishing an effective mechanism that relieved Claimant of “responsibilities” outside of her job description that she lacked the authority to perform, senior officials frequently minimized the circumstances, treated difficult conduct by an elected official as something Claimant was expected to tolerate or learn to manage.”
Ultimately, Ballinas claims the city retaliated against her for reporting her concerns including by withholding her salary raise and that current staff like City Attorney Rob Fabela, Interim City Manager Greg Garcia, Director of Human Resources Linda Andal, Deputy Police Chief Charles Cinnamo as well as the city’s ethics officer Artin Berjikly were witnesses to the mayor’s conduct.
Vanderpool, who resigned earlier this year amid questions about his close ties to Disneyland resort interests investigated by the FBI, could not be reached and city spokesman Mike Lyster did not provide forwarding contact information for the former city manager.
Lyster said city officials are releasing the claim as part of a special closed session meeting agenda with “limited redactions” aimed at protecting personnel, medical and attorney client information.
“Anaheim takes all claims seriously. Our process is moving forward, with engagement of an independent, experienced investigator expected to be finalized soon. An independent investigation is expected to take place over the next few months,” said Lyster in a Thursday email sent to Voice of OC with a link to the complaint.
“We are looking for a comprehensive, impartial review that balances expediency with due process. Beyond that, we want to respect all involved and will share any additional updates as appropriate.”
Ballinas, who’s been Aitken’s chief of staff since 2022, was placed on leave in July.
The release of the claim comes just days after the Anaheim Police Union’s political action committee suspended their endorsement of Aitken and after multiple city council members, including the mayor, called for an expedited investigation into the claims.
Councilmembers Carlos Leon and Natalie Rubalcava, who are both up for reelection, have not publicly spoken to the allegations against the mayor.
The rest of the council has publicly called for an expedited investigation into the issue.
Meanwhile, a host of residents and local activists have been calling for Aitken to resign in the wake of the allegations.
Allegations of a Mayor Under The Influence
In the claim, Ballinas and her attorney allege several incidents when the mayor was drunk or appeared intoxicated including at a city council meeting last year.
Ballinas’ complaint notes two separate instances where she either drove Aitken home or helped arrange transportation for her after city events where the mayor was allegedly drunk.
“During a Team Anaheim dinner, Claimant observed the mayor becoming physically affectionate with (redacted) including touching and grabbing him,” reads the claim. “The Mayor’s husband eventually removed the Mayor from the dinner.”
“While walking back toward the hotel, the Mayor became angry, pushed or knocked over a bicycle on the sidewalk, damaging its mirror. Claimant told the Mayor that the damage needed to be addressed,” the claim continued. “The Mayor subsequently fell in the street. The Claimant told the Mayor’s husband, in substance, that the Mayor was not okay.”
“The Mayor’s husband responded to Claimant: ‘Don’t we all?’”
Mayor Searches City Manager’s Car
In April 2025, Ballinas claimed that Aitken showed up “visibly impaired by alcohol” to a city council meeting and had to be driven home after the closed session, the portion of the meeting the public can’t see.
Ballinas borrowed Vanderpool’s car to drive Aitken home, at which time she claims the mayor began searching the vehicle while drunk.
“During the drive, the Mayor began searching through Vanderpool’s vehicle and personal belongings … and photographed it with her cell phone,” reads the claim.
It’s unclear what Aitken found in the car because of redactions made to the claim.
Disneyland Birthday Lunch Broken up By Booze
Another alleged incident occurred at a lunch intended to celebrate Ballinas’ birthday, when Aitken went with her to Club 33 at Disneyland on June 10 of this year according to the claim, where Ballinas again claimed that Aitken asked about her sexuality and was heavily intoxicated.
“During lunch, the Mayor began consuming alcoholic beverages. Again, the Mayor repeatedly questioned Claimant concerning her sexual orientation,” reads the claim. “Following the three-hour lunch, the Mayor insisted on continuing to drink.”
Ballinas and Aitken then met with an unnamed friend of Ballinas’ at the 1901 Lounge in Disney California Adventure, during which Ballinas claims Aitken began to question a Disney Cast Member about their sexuality.
“The Mayor repeatedly questioned the Cast Member concerning whether he was gay or straight and about his dating life,” reads the claim. “The Mayor spoke to the Cast Member in Spanish based upon her perception that he was Latino. The Cast Member did not engage with the Mayor’s personal questions.”
Following that lunch, Ballinas claimed her friend’s Club 33 membership was placed on hold as a result of Aitken’s behavior.
“Disney advised the Club 33 member that Cast Members had reported that a guest made ‘rude, insensitive, and inappropriate remarks’ to a Cast Member during the visit to the 1901 Lounge,” reads the claim. “The Disney correspondence cited Club 33’s Proper Conduct Guidelines and further advised that mistreatment of a Cast Member constituted an ‘egregious violation.’”
Mayor Questions Aides And Other’s Sexuality
Ballinas’ claim also alleges a series of other instances where Aitken made comments about her and others’ sexuality.
“The Mayor repeatedly questioned whether Claimant was a lesbian, pressured her to acknowledge that she was a lesbian, questioned her about women with whom she associated, characterized female friends or colleagues as romantic partners, and repeatedly returned to the subject,” Ballinas’ lawyers wrote.
Ballinas claimed that Vanderpool was called a “faggot man” by the mayor.
The claim also alleges Aitken once asked a city employee to stop Vanderpool from “being too much” on the dance floor of a Palm Springs conference for the Southern California Association of Governments.
“When Vanderpool was dancing, the Mayor approached the employee and directed him to ‘go get him’ because Vanderpool was ‘being too much,’” reads the claim. “When the employee asked what she meant, the Mayor directed his attention to the way Vanderpool was dancing and behaving.”
“The employee then asked the Mayor whether she meant that Vanderpool was ‘being too gay’ to which the Mayor responded, ‘yes.’”
After the employee refused, Aitken, who Ballinas alleges was also drunk at the time, went onto the dance floor herself to take care of the situation.
“The employee stated that he did not feel comfortable complying with the Mayor’s request, so the Mayor went to retrieve Vanderpool herself,” reads the claim. “According to the City employee, as the Mayor subsequently walked past him with Vanderpool, she called the employee a ‘pussy’ and stated: ‘Typical man, a woman has to do your job.’”
Editor’s note: Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken’s father, Wylie Aitken, chairs Voice of OC’s board of directors.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.
