Column: Corruption scandal shows that in Anaheim politics, there are no angels
LA TimesAnaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu, shown in 2004, is under FBI investigation over his involvement in the sale of Angel Stadium. On Monday, an FBI affidavit filed in Orange County Superior Court revealed Mayor Harry Sidhu was under federal investigation for public corruption over his role in the city’s attempted sale of Angel Stadium and its parking lots to Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno. The following day, the FBI filed a separate criminal complaint alleging Todd Ament, the former president and CEO of the powerful Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, defrauded a cannabis company that wanted to do business in the city, laundered money meant for the chamber through a public relations firm, then used the firm to trick a financial lender into financing the mortgage on Ament’s multimillion dollar home in Big Bear. Vern Nelson, publisher of the irascible Orange Juice Blog, sang a parody of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” with “Harry Sidhu” swapped for the final two words of the title. I don’t think the FBI goes around alleging in federal court that “the City of Anaheim was tightly controlled by a small cadre of individuals” — and then just charges two people, you know?
History of this topic
Arellano: Anaheim, it's time to tell the Angels and Arte Moreno adiós already
LA Times
New documents reveal how the Angels tried to pull the strings at Anaheim City Hall
LA Times
Ex-Anaheim mayor to plead guilty to corruption charges tied to Angel Stadium sale
LA Times
Anaheim corruption report alleges a criminal conspiracy, secret lobbying and influence peddling
LA Times
New Anaheim mayor open to potential stadium deal with Angels
LA Times
California mayor resigns amid baseball stadium deal scandal
Associated Press
Secret retreats and a powerful ‘cabal’: Corruption probe reveals who really runs Anaheim
LA Times
Angels lease talks: Here is the Anaheim mayor’s wish list
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