Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu, a Republican, resigned effective Tuesday amid a corruption probe by the Federal Bureau Investigation over the land sale of Angels Stadium – a probe that’s already resulted in money laundering charges being brought against one of Sidhu’s political allies, former Anaheim Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Ament.
An FBI agent claims that Sidhu gave the Angels inside information in an affidavit in an attempt to make a deal to receive $1 million from Angels executive members.
“I also believe, based on recorded conversations conducted between CW2 and SIDHU, and as illustrated below, that another motivating factor was SIDHU’s intention to solicit monetary compensation from an individual, in the form of campaign contributions, in exchange for pushing the stadium deal through on more favorable terms for the Angels.”
Paul Meyer was his lawyer and defended him in a letter addressed to Robert Fabela.
“A fair and thorough investigation will prove that Mayor Harry Sidhu did not leak secret information in hopes of a later campaign contribution,” Meyer said.
“Mayor Sidhu has always, as his foremost priority, acted in the best interests of the City of Anaheim,” he later added.
But Politico reports that’s not the only problem facing Sidhu:
According to the FBI, there’s probable Sidhu was convicted of a number of crimes during the unfolding events. He hasn’t been charged. The affidavit describes Sidhu securing a spot on the stadium negotiating team and then communicating confidential information to the Angels via a Chamber of Commerce intermediary — part of that purported inner sphere of power in Anaheim — and then repeatedly talking about how he expected the Angels to furnish half a million dollars in campaign cash in exchange for a stadium deal. Sidhu was alleged to have sought to hide these communications. Ah, and that helicopter. The affidavit claims Sidhu registered the Arizona helicopter to avoid the California sales tax of approximately $15,000
His resignation was demanded by the city council as well as various elected representatives of the Democratic Party.
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