Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu, a Republican, was forced to resign on Tuesday in the wake of an investigation of corruption conducted initiated by the Federal Bureau Investigation over the sale of the land for Angels Stadium – a probe which has already led to accusations of money laundering being filed against Sidhu's political ally and Former Anaheim Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Ament.
In an affidavit, the FBI agent states that Sidhu provided inside information to the Angels in hopes of helping come to a settlement that could result in $1 million in contribution to campaigns of Angels executives:
“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.”
The lawyer, Paul Meyer, defended the mayor in a letter sent to the City Mayor 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 said later.
However, Politico says that's not the only issue that faces Sidhu:
As per the FBI, it is probable that Sidhu has been involved in various criminal acts as it transpired (he is not indicted). The affidavit details Sidhu getting a place on the stadium's negotiating team and then providing sensitive details to the Angels through a Chamber of Commerce intermediary -an element of the claimed inner sphere of influence in Anaheim — and repeatedly expressing his belief that he was expecting to give the Angels a half million dollars worth of campaign cash as a condition of an agreement to build a stadium. Sidhu is said to have sought to hide the communications. The helicopter, too, is mentioned in the affidavit as Sidhu registered an aircraft in Arizona to avoid $15,000. California sales tax.
The city council and a variety of Democrat elected officials demanded his resignation last week.
