As Doonesbury said of former AG John Mitchell: That’s “GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!”
Disgraced Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhupleaded guilty today on four federal felony charges that could put him in jail for 50 years or the next time we elect a MAGA President, whichever comes first.
The charges appear to concern both his helicopter caper and his solicitation of a bribe from the Angels baseball team.
This being a plea deal, it was presumably in exchange for some sort of leniency. That leniency would often come from doing some service to prosecutors — presumably by naming some names of other parties involved and testifying against them. (We don’t have that information available yet, though.) In other words, anyone being enlisted to pack up boxes of relevant paperwork or destroy online records should take a long hard look at Trump’s federal indictments. (In other words, don’t do it.)
We’ll have a lot more analysis coming, but due to other commitments it won’t be until after 8 p.m. or so.
Somewhat verbose attorney, semi-disabled and semi-retired, residing in northwest Brea. Occasionally ran for office against jerks who otherwise would have gonr unopposed. Got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012; Josh Newman then won the seat in 2016. In 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002; Todd Spitzer then won that seat in 2018. Every time he's run against some rotten incumbent, the *next* person to challenge them wins! He's OK with that.
Corrupt party hacks hate him. He's OK with that too.
He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.)
His daughter is a professional campaign treasurer. He doesn't usually know whom she and her firm represent. Whether they do so never influences his endorsements or coverage. (He does have his own strong opinions.) But when he does check campaign finance forms, he is often happily surprised to learn that good candidates he respects often DO hire her firm. (Maybe bad ones are scared off by his relationship with her, but they needn't be.)
OK, let’s start with Paragraph 1. Of interest here is that “this agreement is limited to the [U.S. Attorney’s Office] and does not bind any other federal, state, local, or foreign prosecuting, enforcement, administrative, or regulatory authorities.”
I’m not a federal prosecutor (and am not about to contact Ashleigh Aitken about this), and I imagine that this is probably boilerplate, but: does this mean that he can answer for his crimes in multiple domains without concern over the Double Jeopardy Clause? Of particular interest: some of his crimes may be misdemeanors: could we see the Anaheim City Attorney’s office prosecuting him?
We’d been thinking (me and Donna) that a lot of the possible crimes listed at the end of the JL Report are misdemeanors and could theoretically be prosecuted by Anaheim itself.
Donna went further and wondered if the “cabal” could be considered a “gang” to give it gang enhancements? (I liked that, in the spirit of RICO being used on Trump.) After all Gloria Ma’ae did threaten to “go street” on Jeanine!
I did suggest that Anaheim might be able to prosecute them for misdemeanors and I agree that some of those may be propitious.
I don’t see the USAO going Fani Willis on the Cabal here. But I can image the State Auditor doing the “Jan. 6 Committee” work that would set up that case.
And that case would have to include Disney. So long as Disney and its agents are funding candidates, Anaheim ain’t gonna be free.
Also: ANY Councilmembers elected on the basis of Disney money ought to resign en masse, so that they can’t be serially replaced by the council majority with others of their ilk. That would leave Ashleigh, Carlos, Diaz, and Campos Kurtz to make appointments of new Councilmembers: that actually not a bad group once you take away the entrenched influencers.
Kurtz? There’s nothing good about Kurtz. Nothing we have seen. She is SOAR, and the choice of the Natalies.
Greg Diamond
Posted August 17, 2023 at 3:00 PM
If the Natalies are gone, I think we might find that she has a self-preservation instinct.
Remember, this is just about naming replacements for open seats. She’d have to show up to make quorum — but after that she’s just one vote. If it’s her and Diaz versus Ashleigh and Carlos, for example, they can negotiate a bit on how to fill two of the seats. But: anyone can see that, in this sort of situation, Ashleigh has to have a working majority.
OK, this section is a lot, and it suggests how desperate Sidhu must be to settle like this. That desperation doesn’t bode well for his co-conspirators (although he’s not charged here with conspiracy). I also wonder if the timing of this release was intentionally set for after the City Council had its chance to deal with the JL Report, so we could all see how they reacted to the report in the absence of this striking news.
DEFENDANT’S OBLIGATIONS
2. Defendant agrees to:
a. Give up the right to indictment by a grant jury and [to], at the earliest opportunity requested by the USAO and provided by the Court, appear and plead guilty to a four-count information in the form attached to this agreement as Exhibit A or a substantially similar form, which charges defendant with Obstruction of Justice (Destruction, Alteration, or Falsification Of Records in Federal Investigations), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1518 (count one); Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (count two); and False Statement to Federal Agency, in violation of 18 U.S.S. § 1001(a)(2) (counts three and four.)
b. Not contest facts agreed to in this agreement.
c. Abide by all agreements regarding sentencing contained in this agreement.
d. Appear for all court appearances, surrender as ordered for service of sentence, obey all conditions of any bond, and obey any other ongoing court order in this matter.
e. Not committee any crime [limited to those included in U.S. Sentencing Guidelines § 4A1.2(c);
f. Be truthful at all times with the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and the Court.
g. Pay the applicable special assessments at or before the time of sentencing unless defendant has demonstrated a lack of ability to pay such assessments.
h. Defendant agrees that any and all criminal debt ordered by the Court will be due in full and immediately. The government is not precluded from pursuing. In excess of any payment schedule set by the Court, any and all available remedies by which to satisfy defendant’s payment of the full financial obligation, including referral to the Treasury Offset Program.
i. Complete a Financial Disclosure Statement [details omitted]
j. Authorize the USAO to obtain a credit report …
k. Consent to the USAO inspecting and copying all of defendant’s financial documents and financial information held by the [Probation Service.]
I’ll summarize a bit: USAO agrees not to contest facts agreed to in this agreement, abide by all agreements regarding sentencing contained herein, and (so long as Sidhu accepts for responsibility for the offenses through his sentencing, recommend a two-level reduction in his offense level under Sentencing Guidelines 3E1.1, and “if necessary” seek an additional one-level reduction.
USAO will recommend a sentence no higher than the low end of the Sentencing Guidelines range, so long as the Court uses an offense level no lower than 11 and does not depart downward in offense level or criminal history category. There is some mention of the possibility of community confinement or home detention under certain circumstances.
USAO will not further prosecute Sidhu for the acts in the indictment (other than criminal tax violations, including conspiracy), but may criminally prosecute him for criminal actions subsequent to the agreement. But, the Court may consider uncharged offenses in its sentencing decisions.
Home detention for Sidhu would, of course, be a sham. If he gets home detention, it should somewhere on Anna Drive close enough for Vern to keep an eye on him.
Now will get a first detailed look at the offenses charged:
NATURE OF THE OFFENSES
4. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crime charged in count one of the information, that is, Obstruction of Justice – Destruction, Alteration or Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations [violating 18 U.S.C. § 1519, the following must be true: (1) Defendant knowingly altered, destroyed, concealed, or falsified a record, document, or tangible object; and (2) Defendant acted with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence and actual or contemplated investigation of a matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States.
5. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crime charged in count one of the information, that is, Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, the following must be true: (1) Defendant knowingly devised a scheme or plan to defraud, or a scheme or plan for obtaining money or property by means of fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises; (2) The statements made as part of the scheme were material; that is, they had a natural tendency to influence, or were capable of influencing, a person to part with money or property; (3) Defendant acted with the intent to defraud, that is, the intent to deceive and cheat; and (4) Defendant used, or caused to be used, an interstate wire communication to carry out or attempt to carry out an essential part of the scheme.
6. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crimes charged in counts three and four of the information, that is, False Statement To Federal Agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), the following must be true: (1) Defendant made a false statement; (2) The statement was made in a matter within the jurisdiction of a federal agency; (3) Defendant acted willfully; that is, the defendant acted deliberately and with knowledge both that the statement was untrue and that his conduct was unlawful; and (4) The statement was material to the activities or decisions of a federal executive agency; that is, it had a natural tendency to influence. or was capable of influencing, the agencies decisions and activities.
So: one wrongdoing involving records, one wire fraud, and two for lying about each.
7. Maximum sentence under Section 1519: 20 years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
8. Maximum sentence under Section 1343: 20 years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
9. Maximum sentence under Section 1001(a)(2): five years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
10. So in totals, the maximum possible combined sentence is: 50 years in prison, still only three years of supervised release, fine of greater of $1.000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and a mandatory assessment of … $400.
11. Defendant also has to pay full restitution to victims. Parties currently believe that that’s a little under $16,000, which he has already paid, but that could change as more facts emerge.
12. If you want to know what supervised release entails, look up paragraph 12.
13. Rights Sidhu gives up: possibly valuable government benefits, as well as right to vote, right to possess a firearm, right to hold office, and right to serve on a jury. And maybe other things.
14. Immigration consequences. Sidhu must be a citizen to have held this office, and I doubt that it could be stripped from him at this point – but if he weren’t one it would mean automatic removal.
And finally — on to the factual predicate for the charges!
FACTUAL BASIS [PART ONE]
At all relevant times, after his election in 2018 through his resignation in May 2022, after the FBI’s corruption investigation became public, Sidhu was Mayor of Anaheim.
In July 2020, Anaheim was negotiating the sale of Angels Stadium with the Angels and SRB Management [owned by Arte Moreno.] Sidhu sought out a position on the City’s negotiating team for the stadium sale, and provided confidential inside information belonging to the city – including confidential negotiation information – to then-CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Todd Ament, and to a Consultant UNNAMED HERE working for the Angels so that the Angels could buy Angel Stadium on terms beneficial to the Angels. Sidhu had “secretly provided that information, which he had received in his position as Mayor. Fifteen months after Sidhu did so, federal law enforcement covertly recorded Sidhu stating that he expected a $1,000,000 campaign contribution from the Angels after the Angels succeeded in buying Angel Stadium from Anaheim.
Sidhu destroyed multiple email messages and documents related to this complaint – which was obstruction of justice because he did so to impede the FBI’s investigation of public corruption surrounding Anaheim’s potential sale of the stadium. One deleted email was sent on July 21, 2020 to the Angels consultant and Ament, entitled “4844-8343-9299.2 Key Issues – Stadium Transaction Agreement.docx. It included an attachment drafted by attorneys for the city, which contained confidential negotiating information related to the potential sale, including issues related to price and purchase/sales terms. For example, a section entitled “Lease Assignment: Parking” in that document advised: “[The Angels] eliminate the requirement that they maintain at least 12,500 parking spaces so upon closing they could immediately amend the lease to limit their parking obligation and then flip the land for millions more than they paid for it. For example, reducing their parking obligation by 4,000 spaces would translate to #64M in increased land value.” Anaheim has “publicly acknowledged that the purchase prize would be much higher without this obligation.” Sidhu was using the Angels consultant and Ament to provide that confidential inside information to the Angels so that the Angels could use that information in negotiation with the city to purchase the stadium on more beneficial terms.
Sidhu also deleted a Sept. 20. 2020 email message that the Angels consultant had sent to him, two City Council members, two City employees including the Chief Communications Officer [Mike Lyster], the President of the Angels, Ament, and others. It was entitled “Angels Deal Debate/Council Prep – ROUND 1”
This email used the personal email addresses of Sidhu, the two City Council members, and the city staff, rather than their City-provided official email addresses. That email message included an attachment entitled “Angels Council Debate Pred.docx,” which listed individuals would would be participating in mock City Council meetings about the Angel Stadium sake, including but not limited to Sidhu and the two then-current City Council members, two city employees, the Angels consultant, Ament, the President of the Angels, and an Attorney for the Angels.
I’m going to stop there for now, because it’s about to get much weirder.
Ok, THIS ONE. So if the email went to Harry, plus OTHERS at City Hall who used personal accounts to receive the message, why were NONE of those copies from other than Sidhu turned over in the numerous CPRA requests that went to City Hall on this subject? The other Councilmembers and staff were obligated to turn over this email as responsive to CPRA, getting them on personal accounts doesn’t exempt them from obligation, that’s the law. If discussing City business, you turn over the docs, regardless of personal device or accounts.
It’s because turning them over would make them cry … and “there’s no crying in baseball!”
Seriously, this is an example of why I think that we are still WAY closer to the beginning of things than the end. The people on this recipient list should be climbing over each other like scuttling crabs to be the next to flip.
Was “legal jeopardy for Mike Lyster” ever on anyone’s bingo card?
It was a plan for a rehearsal for mock City Council meeting sessions that were scheduled for the following day, Sept. 21, 2020. Session 1
1. We will run through a mock Council Session straight through one time at the start to identify pitfalls and areas of vulnerability
2. We will then do a debrief and makes notes for areas of strength, vulnerability, and areas needed for improvement.
3. Time permitting, we will do a second run through, stopping at key points to emphasize key moments. Between Sessions 1 & 2
1. Participants will be asked to study their roles and come prepared for Session 2 to be at the top of their game.
2. [Angels] team available to help develop “zingers,” responses, and other points to improve performance.
…
In addition to the above, the “Angels Council Debate Prep” document also detailed topics on which each participant should focus, such as: Mayor Harry Sidhu
. Sidhu will play himself
– He will preside over the meeting
– He is expected to be a strong defender of the deal and know its terms, at least at the policy level, well. Mayor Pro-Tem
– Plays himself.
– Focuses on benefits to D5
– Parks
– Grocery store
– Expected to be focus on attacks by Moreno due to Election
– Focus on Angels charity
– Focus on union jobs
– Focus on Anaheim History Council Member [ ]
– Plays himself
– Focus on benefits to Whole City
– Keep the Angels
– Economic Development & Jobs
– Focus on Taxpayer benefits, such as Privatizing Stadium
– Support Mayor on Parliamentary Angles
– Attack Moreno on Vulnerabilities
That takes us up to Page 12, line 12, where we will start into a section on Sidhu’s solicitation of a bribe of — everyone put your pinky finger up to the side of your mouth and say it togeter — “ONE MILLION DOLLARS”! But until I can get back to the keyboard, I think that this is more than enough to discuss for now!
If they did this sort of thing at least once, how ofter do you think that they did it?
It was not necessarily a Brown Act violation, given that there were only three Council members present.
But if anyone involved had mentioned any of the comments to even one other member of the council — that THAT MAKES 4 and THAT becomes a hub-and-spoke Brown Act violation.
Could something like this have happened since the new Council took over? I thought that this was just a “Borg Queen / follow the leader” sort of problem — but this goes well beyond that!
Hey — nobody resign which the current council majority is intact! I’d say that at least three people on which Council ought to resign — and they should all hold hands and do so together!
This section was the one that kicked my head in. They PRACTICED how to argue a better deal for Angels to the detriment of the taxpayers they were elected or salaried to represent! That’s not opinion or gossip, as some have characterized the JLGroup report. This is the FBI nailing participants in a document Harry signed admitting to the events.
My question, again, was where this lies on a scale between “a one-off” and “standard procedure.” Some of those responses to, say, the bogus reports that they tried to use re the Stadium Ground Giveaway back in the Murray/Brandman days also seemed orchestrated to me. Wonder whether will ever find out!
OK, after a refreshing rest, it’s back to the ballgame!
“Previously, in 2019, defendant had provided a confidential appraisal range related to Angel Stadium to Ament to give to the Angels, months before the appraisal was made public.”
I just want to let this one stand alone. The appraisal that we fought so hard for for so many years was converted into a tool to help empower and enrich the Angles in negotiations.
“Approximately 16 months after defendant provided the confidential inside information to the Angels, he was secretly recorded stating that he expected to receive a large campaign contribution from the Angels after the Angel Stadium sale was completed; that is, defendant expect $1 million to be directed to a political action committee (PAC) to be spent on defendant’s behalf during the next election. During the investigation, FBI agents secretly recorded multiple statements by defendant on that topic. For example, on December 6, 2021, defendant made the following statement, which was surreptitiously recorded for the FBI:
“Because I, I’ve said, you gotta at least, minimum of a million dollars to come up with my election. They have to. And of course, you know, … if Angels project would conclude next year is approved hopefully, we’ll push for them at least a half a million dollars. You know, for [Angel’s representative] to say “no” is bad, for them not to say no [sic] on that.
During a similar discussion on January 28, 2022, which was also covertly recorded for the FBI, defendant stated: “Because I am hoping to get at least a million from I’m going to be pushing it. [Angels’ representative] actually asked me. He said: what can I do for your election:?” I said, “Let me finish your deal first, and then we’ll talk about that.”
…
“So I’m going to be asking for a million dollars from him … For my election.:
This is a good moment to wonder: who is “Angels representative”? Pringle? Flint? A player to be named later?
No, Flint is referred to here as the Angels Consultant. And I never heard anything about Pringle being involved in this. It’s probably someone who works for the Angels that we never heard of.
But on Harry wanting ONE MILLION DOLLARS… I prefer the original novel to this new movie. The NOVEL (the FBI affidavit) was even better.
First, at the end of October, Sidhu was wanting “at least half a million dollars.” As a couple months went by and he probably started realizing how much Arte and Ament stood to profit, he decided he wanted more and started talking about “at least a million.”
On Jan. 28 he was recorded speaking on the phone to Ament (who knew he was being recorded). Let’s just change “Angels Representative 2,” randomly, to Randy.
Ament: Um, you had mentioned you wanted to try to get Randy a higher level. Up to the million dollar level. Do you think Randy go there? Do you have a reason to think Randy go higher? Randy’s never gone there before.
HS: Gone? Gone where?
Ament: To, to a million, for re-election. To help with the PACs.
HS: At least, you know, you should shoot for 3 million total?
Ament: Okay.
HS: You should. Because I am hoping to get at least a million from I’m going to be pushing it. Randy actually asked me. Randy said, “What can I do for your election?” I said, “Let me finish your deal first, and then we’ll talk about that.”
Ament: Ok.
You hear how they dont’ even understand each other? Todd isn’t sure Randy will “go higher” i.e. to a million. Harry doesn’t understand Todd’s manner of speaking, and thinks Todd is trying to get Harry to ask for a “higher” amount than 1 million. So Harry’s mind immediately jumps all the way up to $3 MILLION! Todd no doubt rolling his eyes knowing it’s all being taped, says “OK.”
I noticed that. I thought that it was Sidhu trying to establish a bargaining position: if you want a million, ask for three million, and then let them bargain you down 2/3 of the way.
I also thought that the Angels consultant and the Angels representative were the same person. I’ll check and see if I transcribed that poorly. … hold music plays … no, they do use both terms. Angels rep held the purse strings, and Angel’s consultant was point of contact. It’s the former who may rope in Arte Moreno when MLB investigates.
During a City Council meeting in September 2020, defendant voted in favor of the final terms of the Angel Stadium deal. Both at that time and later, defendant failed to notify other City Councilmembers or the public that he had provided confidential inside negotiation information to the Angels. Also, at no time after that vote did defendant notify other City Councilmembers or the public that he expected to receive a $1 million campaign contribution from the Angels after the City’s sale of Angel Stadium to the Angels. Defendant deleted the emails between him and the Angels consultant and Ament, including his July 21, 2020 email and its attachment, knowingly and willfully for the purpose of impeding and obstructing an ongoing FBI investigation. At the time he deleted the email messages, it was reasonably foreseeable to defendant that the FBI would be investigating whether federal law was violated during negotiations related to the Angel Stadium sale. By deleting the email messages, defendant destroyed them because his email service permanently deleted emails in the deleted folder after 30 days.
Defendant also lied about the Angel Stadium sale negotiations and related matters when FBI agents interviewed him on May 12, 2022, in Anaheim California. During that interview, defendant falsely stated that he was expecting “nothing” from the Angels after the Angel Stadium sale, when in truth he was expecting to receive a $1 million campaign contribution for his election after the sale. Defendant also falsely stated that he does not “conduct any City Business” from his personal email. Not only did defendant conduct City business using his personal email, but he also communicated with some City staff using that staff’s personal email, purposely avoiding using the staff member’s official City email address. For example, on October 22, 2020, using his personal email, defendant sent an email message wherein he wrote: “[Angels consultant] and Todd [Ament]: please do NOT Reply All to this email – sent to WRONG CITY EMAIL for [City employee]. Please ONLY use PERSONAL EMAIL FOR [City employee – []@gmail.com. Thanks. Defendant also falsely stated that he did not recall ever providing information about the Stadium sale to the Angels consultant during negotiations over that sale. Defendant knowingly and willfully made these false statements with knowledge both that the statements were untrue and that his conduct was unlawful. Defendant’s false statements were material to the then on-going FBI investigation of defendant’s possible violation of federal law, including public corruption.
Let me note that during this whole process, many of us were filing public records requests and otherwise spinning our wheels based on the presumption that nothing this blatant was happening. I do have sympathy for City Staff members who were put in a position of choosing between their livelihood and the law — but there was a right answer to that question and they not only screwed themselves over in the end but they stole time, effort, and peace of mind from community watchdogs.
So I’d look forward to providing a victim statement to bump up his imprisonment on this count.
Want to know how to make a federal case out of something? Here’s how! Additionally, from October 2020 to early November 2020, defendant knowingly, intentionally, and with the intent to defraud, devised and executed a scheme to defraud the State of California of more than $15,000 of sales tax revenue. In October 2020, defendant purchased a used helicopter for approximately $205,000. At that time, defendant fraudulently represented that he resided in Arizona, even though he lived in Anaheim, California, and the helicopter was hangered in Chino, California. Defendant used a mailing address in Scottsdale, Arizona, which belonged to an Anaheim businessperson. Defendant’s false statement about his residency was material in that it affected defendant’s sales tax liability for the helicopter purchase. He made the false representation for the purpose of avoiding a 7.75% sales tac imposed by the State of California. Had defendant truthfully reported that he resided in California, defendant, as well he knew, would have incurred a $15,887 tax liability. On November 2, 2020, acting for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud the State of California, defendant cause the transmission of an email message in interstate commerce from the helicopter broker to the title company, which instructed that the helicopter be registered in the State of Arizona. Based upon his fraudulent use of the Arizona address, defendant defrauded the State of California of approximately $15,887 in California sales tax.
Defendant also provided false information to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. On November 10, 20202, defendant submitted FAA Doem 8040-1, “Aircraft Registration Application,” for the helicopter, which defendant signed and certified as true. Right above his signature, the Form provided a warning that under federal law, any false, misleading, or fraudulent statements or representations could result in imprisonment and/or a fine. Defendant falsely represented on that form that his permanent mailing address was in Scottsdale, Arizona, when in truth and fact, defendant lived in Anaheim, California, and his permanent mailing address was in Anaheim, California. Defendant also provided that false address on FAA Forrm 8050-2, “Aircraft Bill of Sale.{ Defendant knowingly and willfully made these false statements with knowledge that the statements were false and his conduct was unlawful. Defendant’s false statements were material to the operations of the FAA.
Here’s the meeting that the Cabal was rehearsing for in mock meetings, It’s Sept 29, 2020. Item 7. Remember it’s teleconferenced so there’s nothing to see. Gonna listen to it later today and see if I can picture them rehearsing this so many times.
(PS this was also the meeting that led us to recall Brandman. Jose was all, to me, before this meeting, “You guys are already recalling Harry, why don’t you tell Jordan that you’ll recall him too if he votes for this Angels deal?” I shoulda said to Jose in his own words, “You plead it you lead it!” Anyway Jordan of course voted with Sidhu, so we had to do our recall. Months before we learned about his “Vicious Texts.”)
Ah, the Vicious Texts. Another example besides this one of someone being tripped up by the ancillary offense rather than primarily by the more serious central crime. Same thing happened to Ament.
I’m skipping the section on “Sentencing Factors” — page 16, line 8 to page 18, line 21.
Now that you’ve got the copter story, let’s turn back to the bribe story. Neither the FBI’s indictment, nor this post, have mentioned the biggest villain in this story.
The Angels took advantage of existing corruption of City of Anaheim government. That’s bad, but there’s something worse.
This system was essentially created by and existed due to the Disney Corporation. They are the ones whose money and agents put Sidhu there in the first place, when he narrowly defeated Ashleigh Aitken in 2018. They are the ones who funded a Council that had an active aversion to representing the public rather than the monied interests. They are the ones who, year after year, assured that Anaheim would have a corrupt Council that would serve their interests; that it also served the Angels’ interest was simply incidental.
The FBI and the US Attorney’s Office might want to keep that in mind.
Based on a conversation with Jose Moreno, which was based on conversations he had with City Attorney Fabela, I’m gonna write a new piece about how this plea deal contains really good news for Anaheim (apart from the closure it provides.)
In short, since the Angels obviously lied when they told us they never got confidential info – through Jeff Flint who WAS their consultant/employee – they are in breach of contract, and we can retract Sidhu’s Jan 2019 re-instatement of their lease.
Then the land is unencumbered and worth a lot more. And we can negotiate a new and better lease with them, and have them pay fair rent until that’s ironed out.
Jose is very smart. No wonder it took such a big team to rehearse how to discredit him. By the way: if Rubalcava takes a dive to save her lustrous skin, Jose could legally be appointed to the District 3 position. I think that that might be a pretty good idea right now.
I’m going to have up another story within a week or so. (Why are we giving away all of our story suggestions? Oh well, we’re just generous.)
Remember when I called upon people to contact the Baseball Commissioner to get Arte Moreno removed?
Didn’t get much traction then. Now I think it might. Arte should be ordered to sell the team, even if it’s in a fire sale.
And speaking of fire sales… When the Baseball Commissioner is contacted it should be noted that Arte has been delaying the building of the Platinum Triangle Fire Station #12 since the Angel Stadium sale went south in June 2022.
In the haze of the Maui fire the Council might wish to publicly push back on Arte’s holdup of the project.
According to the Fire Chief at his recent Budget presentation, the contract to design and build the fire station has been “awarded” (whatever that means).
Tuesday the Fire Department called back to say the project has “stalled in the advanced planning stage due to the issues related to development around Angel Stadium.”
There is no physical address for the station or project number assigned. Without these, Public Works is finding it difficult to find the paperwork.
Environmental studies back as far as 2010 (JL Report page 263) recognized the need for a new fire station in the Platinum Triangle due to the increased density of housing (1,200 new units?).
13 years later the density of the Platinum Triangle has increased over 4 times and the ground has not yet been broken for the new fire station.
When is the Council going to tell Arte to play ball on public safety? Is it going to take another Maui-sized fire?
This should actually be its own post! If you can flesh it out at all, please send it to Vern. We’ll give you credit — and we won’t forward you comments from our trolls!
So how many out of those 50 years will Harry sidhu so behind bars? The information doesn’t say what the minimum is but they say that the amount of jail time they will give him.
The old Bushala picture. The classics never get old.
Do you know who really made that Photoshop? You probably do. I do, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy. One day I’ll blab.
I think it was a high school kid – or so I was told.
OK, let’s start with Paragraph 1. Of interest here is that “this agreement is limited to the [U.S. Attorney’s Office] and does not bind any other federal, state, local, or foreign prosecuting, enforcement, administrative, or regulatory authorities.”
I’m not a federal prosecutor (and am not about to contact Ashleigh Aitken about this), and I imagine that this is probably boilerplate, but: does this mean that he can answer for his crimes in multiple domains without concern over the Double Jeopardy Clause? Of particular interest: some of his crimes may be misdemeanors: could we see the Anaheim City Attorney’s office prosecuting him?
We’d been thinking (me and Donna) that a lot of the possible crimes listed at the end of the JL Report are misdemeanors and could theoretically be prosecuted by Anaheim itself.
Donna went further and wondered if the “cabal” could be considered a “gang” to give it gang enhancements? (I liked that, in the spirit of RICO being used on Trump.) After all Gloria Ma’ae did threaten to “go street” on Jeanine!
I did suggest that Anaheim might be able to prosecute them for misdemeanors and I agree that some of those may be propitious.
I don’t see the USAO going Fani Willis on the Cabal here. But I can image the State Auditor doing the “Jan. 6 Committee” work that would set up that case.
And that case would have to include Disney. So long as Disney and its agents are funding candidates, Anaheim ain’t gonna be free.
Also: ANY Councilmembers elected on the basis of Disney money ought to resign en masse, so that they can’t be serially replaced by the council majority with others of their ilk. That would leave Ashleigh, Carlos, Diaz, and Campos Kurtz to make appointments of new Councilmembers: that actually not a bad group once you take away the entrenched influencers.
Kurtz? There’s nothing good about Kurtz. Nothing we have seen. She is SOAR, and the choice of the Natalies.
If the Natalies are gone, I think we might find that she has a self-preservation instinct.
Remember, this is just about naming replacements for open seats. She’d have to show up to make quorum — but after that she’s just one vote. If it’s her and Diaz versus Ashleigh and Carlos, for example, they can negotiate a bit on how to fill two of the seats. But: anyone can see that, in this sort of situation, Ashleigh has to have a working majority.
OK, this section is a lot, and it suggests how desperate Sidhu must be to settle like this. That desperation doesn’t bode well for his co-conspirators (although he’s not charged here with conspiracy). I also wonder if the timing of this release was intentionally set for after the City Council had its chance to deal with the JL Report, so we could all see how they reacted to the report in the absence of this striking news.
DEFENDANT’S OBLIGATIONS
2. Defendant agrees to:
a. Give up the right to indictment by a grant jury and [to], at the earliest opportunity requested by the USAO and provided by the Court, appear and plead guilty to a four-count information in the form attached to this agreement as Exhibit A or a substantially similar form, which charges defendant with Obstruction of Justice (Destruction, Alteration, or Falsification Of Records in Federal Investigations), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1518 (count one); Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (count two); and False Statement to Federal Agency, in violation of 18 U.S.S. § 1001(a)(2) (counts three and four.)
b. Not contest facts agreed to in this agreement.
c. Abide by all agreements regarding sentencing contained in this agreement.
d. Appear for all court appearances, surrender as ordered for service of sentence, obey all conditions of any bond, and obey any other ongoing court order in this matter.
e. Not committee any crime [limited to those included in U.S. Sentencing Guidelines § 4A1.2(c);
f. Be truthful at all times with the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and the Court.
g. Pay the applicable special assessments at or before the time of sentencing unless defendant has demonstrated a lack of ability to pay such assessments.
h. Defendant agrees that any and all criminal debt ordered by the Court will be due in full and immediately. The government is not precluded from pursuing. In excess of any payment schedule set by the Court, any and all available remedies by which to satisfy defendant’s payment of the full financial obligation, including referral to the Treasury Offset Program.
i. Complete a Financial Disclosure Statement [details omitted]
j. Authorize the USAO to obtain a credit report …
k. Consent to the USAO inspecting and copying all of defendant’s financial documents and financial information held by the [Probation Service.]
THE USAO’S OBLIGATIONS
I’ll summarize a bit: USAO agrees not to contest facts agreed to in this agreement, abide by all agreements regarding sentencing contained herein, and (so long as Sidhu accepts for responsibility for the offenses through his sentencing, recommend a two-level reduction in his offense level under Sentencing Guidelines 3E1.1, and “if necessary” seek an additional one-level reduction.
USAO will recommend a sentence no higher than the low end of the Sentencing Guidelines range, so long as the Court uses an offense level no lower than 11 and does not depart downward in offense level or criminal history category. There is some mention of the possibility of community confinement or home detention under certain circumstances.
USAO will not further prosecute Sidhu for the acts in the indictment (other than criminal tax violations, including conspiracy), but may criminally prosecute him for criminal actions subsequent to the agreement. But, the Court may consider uncharged offenses in its sentencing decisions.
Home detention for Sidhu would, of course, be a sham. If he gets home detention, it should somewhere on Anna Drive close enough for Vern to keep an eye on him.
Anna Drive is a proud, clean neighborhood. We would not take kindly to Sidhu here, and do not appreciate the suggestion.
But … you could have him clean your lawn!
I think that he might prefer prison to Anna Drive. Hence the suggestion.
Now will get a first detailed look at the offenses charged:
NATURE OF THE OFFENSES
4. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crime charged in count one of the information, that is, Obstruction of Justice – Destruction, Alteration or Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations [violating 18 U.S.C. § 1519, the following must be true: (1) Defendant knowingly altered, destroyed, concealed, or falsified a record, document, or tangible object; and (2) Defendant acted with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence and actual or contemplated investigation of a matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States.
5. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crime charged in count one of the information, that is, Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, the following must be true: (1) Defendant knowingly devised a scheme or plan to defraud, or a scheme or plan for obtaining money or property by means of fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises; (2) The statements made as part of the scheme were material; that is, they had a natural tendency to influence, or were capable of influencing, a person to part with money or property; (3) Defendant acted with the intent to defraud, that is, the intent to deceive and cheat; and (4) Defendant used, or caused to be used, an interstate wire communication to carry out or attempt to carry out an essential part of the scheme.
6. Defendant understands that for defendant to be guilty of the crimes charged in counts three and four of the information, that is, False Statement To Federal Agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), the following must be true: (1) Defendant made a false statement; (2) The statement was made in a matter within the jurisdiction of a federal agency; (3) Defendant acted willfully; that is, the defendant acted deliberately and with knowledge both that the statement was untrue and that his conduct was unlawful; and (4) The statement was material to the activities or decisions of a federal executive agency; that is, it had a natural tendency to influence. or was capable of influencing, the agencies decisions and activities.
So: one wrongdoing involving records, one wire fraud, and two for lying about each.
PENALTIES AND RESTITUTION
7. Maximum sentence under Section 1519: 20 years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
8. Maximum sentence under Section 1343: 20 years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
9. Maximum sentence under Section 1001(a)(2): five years in prison, three-year supervised release, fine of greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and … $100.
10. So in totals, the maximum possible combined sentence is: 50 years in prison, still only three years of supervised release, fine of greater of $1.000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, and a mandatory assessment of … $400.
11. Defendant also has to pay full restitution to victims. Parties currently believe that that’s a little under $16,000, which he has already paid, but that could change as more facts emerge.
12. If you want to know what supervised release entails, look up paragraph 12.
13. Rights Sidhu gives up: possibly valuable government benefits, as well as right to vote, right to possess a firearm, right to hold office, and right to serve on a jury. And maybe other things.
14. Immigration consequences. Sidhu must be a citizen to have held this office, and I doubt that it could be stripped from him at this point – but if he weren’t one it would mean automatic removal.
And finally — on to the factual predicate for the charges!
FACTUAL BASIS [PART ONE]
At all relevant times, after his election in 2018 through his resignation in May 2022, after the FBI’s corruption investigation became public, Sidhu was Mayor of Anaheim.
In July 2020, Anaheim was negotiating the sale of Angels Stadium with the Angels and SRB Management [owned by Arte Moreno.] Sidhu sought out a position on the City’s negotiating team for the stadium sale, and provided confidential inside information belonging to the city – including confidential negotiation information – to then-CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Todd Ament, and to a Consultant UNNAMED HERE working for the Angels so that the Angels could buy Angel Stadium on terms beneficial to the Angels. Sidhu had “secretly provided that information, which he had received in his position as Mayor. Fifteen months after Sidhu did so, federal law enforcement covertly recorded Sidhu stating that he expected a $1,000,000 campaign contribution from the Angels after the Angels succeeded in buying Angel Stadium from Anaheim.
Are you able to see what the minimum sentencing in months or years these offenses carry?
FACTUAL BASIS [PART TWO]
Sidhu destroyed multiple email messages and documents related to this complaint – which was obstruction of justice because he did so to impede the FBI’s investigation of public corruption surrounding Anaheim’s potential sale of the stadium. One deleted email was sent on July 21, 2020 to the Angels consultant and Ament, entitled “4844-8343-9299.2 Key Issues – Stadium Transaction Agreement.docx. It included an attachment drafted by attorneys for the city, which contained confidential negotiating information related to the potential sale, including issues related to price and purchase/sales terms. For example, a section entitled “Lease Assignment: Parking” in that document advised: “[The Angels] eliminate the requirement that they maintain at least 12,500 parking spaces so upon closing they could immediately amend the lease to limit their parking obligation and then flip the land for millions more than they paid for it. For example, reducing their parking obligation by 4,000 spaces would translate to #64M in increased land value.” Anaheim has “publicly acknowledged that the purchase prize would be much higher without this obligation.” Sidhu was using the Angels consultant and Ament to provide that confidential inside information to the Angels so that the Angels could use that information in negotiation with the city to purchase the stadium on more beneficial terms.
FACTUAL BASIS [PART THREE]
Sidhu also deleted a Sept. 20. 2020 email message that the Angels consultant had sent to him, two City Council members, two City employees including the Chief Communications Officer [Mike Lyster], the President of the Angels, Ament, and others. It was entitled “Angels Deal Debate/Council Prep – ROUND 1”
This email used the personal email addresses of Sidhu, the two City Council members, and the city staff, rather than their City-provided official email addresses. That email message included an attachment entitled “Angels Council Debate Pred.docx,” which listed individuals would would be participating in mock City Council meetings about the Angel Stadium sake, including but not limited to Sidhu and the two then-current City Council members, two city employees, the Angels consultant, Ament, the President of the Angels, and an Attorney for the Angels.
I’m going to stop there for now, because it’s about to get much weirder.
Ok, THIS ONE. So if the email went to Harry, plus OTHERS at City Hall who used personal accounts to receive the message, why were NONE of those copies from other than Sidhu turned over in the numerous CPRA requests that went to City Hall on this subject? The other Councilmembers and staff were obligated to turn over this email as responsive to CPRA, getting them on personal accounts doesn’t exempt them from obligation, that’s the law. If discussing City business, you turn over the docs, regardless of personal device or accounts.
It’s because turning them over would make them cry … and “there’s no crying in baseball!”
Seriously, this is an example of why I think that we are still WAY closer to the beginning of things than the end. The people on this recipient list should be climbing over each other like scuttling crabs to be the next to flip.
Was “legal jeopardy for Mike Lyster” ever on anyone’s bingo card?
It was a plan for a rehearsal for mock City Council meeting sessions that were scheduled for the following day, Sept. 21, 2020.
Session 1
1. We will run through a mock Council Session straight through one time at the start to identify pitfalls and areas of vulnerability
2. We will then do a debrief and makes notes for areas of strength, vulnerability, and areas needed for improvement.
3. Time permitting, we will do a second run through, stopping at key points to emphasize key moments.
Between Sessions 1 & 2
1. Participants will be asked to study their roles and come prepared for Session 2 to be at the top of their game.
2. [Angels] team available to help develop “zingers,” responses, and other points to improve performance.
…
In addition to the above, the “Angels Council Debate Prep” document also detailed topics on which each participant should focus, such as:
Mayor Harry Sidhu
. Sidhu will play himself
– He will preside over the meeting
– He is expected to be a strong defender of the deal and know its terms, at least at the policy level, well.
Mayor Pro-Tem
– Plays himself.
– Focuses on benefits to D5
– Parks
– Grocery store
– Expected to be focus on attacks by Moreno due to Election
– Focus on Angels charity
– Focus on union jobs
– Focus on Anaheim History
Council Member [ ]
– Plays himself
– Focus on benefits to Whole City
– Keep the Angels
– Economic Development & Jobs
– Focus on Taxpayer benefits, such as Privatizing Stadium
– Support Mayor on Parliamentary Angles
– Attack Moreno on Vulnerabilities
That takes us up to Page 12, line 12, where we will start into a section on Sidhu’s solicitation of a bribe of — everyone put your pinky finger up to the side of your mouth and say it togeter — “ONE MILLION DOLLARS”! But until I can get back to the keyboard, I think that this is more than enough to discuss for now!
Oh, one last thought before I collapse:
If they did this sort of thing at least once, how ofter do you think that they did it?
It was not necessarily a Brown Act violation, given that there were only three Council members present.
But if anyone involved had mentioned any of the comments to even one other member of the council — that THAT MAKES 4 and THAT becomes a hub-and-spoke Brown Act violation.
Could something like this have happened since the new Council took over? I thought that this was just a “Borg Queen / follow the leader” sort of problem — but this goes well beyond that!
Hey — nobody resign which the current council majority is intact! I’d say that at least three people on which Council ought to resign — and they should all hold hands and do so together!
This section was the one that kicked my head in. They PRACTICED how to argue a better deal for Angels to the detriment of the taxpayers they were elected or salaried to represent! That’s not opinion or gossip, as some have characterized the JLGroup report. This is the FBI nailing participants in a document Harry signed admitting to the events.
Yes, and he had 2 collaborators in crime.
It should be noted that we’ve FINALLY found the true “Business of Baseball”!
Well … practice makes perfect!
My question, again, was where this lies on a scale between “a one-off” and “standard procedure.” Some of those responses to, say, the bogus reports that they tried to use re the Stadium Ground Giveaway back in the Murray/Brandman days also seemed orchestrated to me. Wonder whether will ever find out!
These are Flint’s stage directions to Faessel and O’Neil, and it’s funny how obsessed Flint was with Moreno.
STEVE! Moreno’s probably gonna attack you because your re-election’s coming up!
TREVOR! You’re good at attacking Moreno and you enjoy it, so go for it!
Are you sure that Flint rather than Pringle is the agent?
That made me sad — until I realized that it means that Flint could flip on Pringle. I’ll bet that he has kept his emails and notes!
BTW, when is that Tardiff guy going to show up to tell us Sidhu hasn’t done anything wrong?
He’s mouthing off on Facebook right now, not making much sense.
Let me guess: “it’s all hearsay!”?
I never said that HS didn’t do anything wrong. I noted, same as VOC, that he hadn’t been charged with a crime.
Then you certainly gave the wrong impression in your hatred of VoOC. They never said he was charged with anything either.
OK, after a refreshing rest, it’s back to the ballgame!
“Previously, in 2019, defendant had provided a confidential appraisal range related to Angel Stadium to Ament to give to the Angels, months before the appraisal was made public.”
I just want to let this one stand alone. The appraisal that we fought so hard for for so many years was converted into a tool to help empower and enrich the Angles in negotiations.
How about that?
“Approximately 16 months after defendant provided the confidential inside information to the Angels, he was secretly recorded stating that he expected to receive a large campaign contribution from the Angels after the Angel Stadium sale was completed; that is, defendant expect $1 million to be directed to a political action committee (PAC) to be spent on defendant’s behalf during the next election. During the investigation, FBI agents secretly recorded multiple statements by defendant on that topic. For example, on December 6, 2021, defendant made the following statement, which was surreptitiously recorded for the FBI:
“Because I, I’ve said, you gotta at least, minimum of a million dollars to come up with my election. They have to. And of course, you know, … if Angels project would conclude next year is approved hopefully, we’ll push for them at least a half a million dollars. You know, for [Angel’s representative] to say “no” is bad, for them not to say no [sic] on that.
During a similar discussion on January 28, 2022, which was also covertly recorded for the FBI, defendant stated: “Because I am hoping to get at least a million from I’m going to be pushing it. [Angels’ representative] actually asked me. He said: what can I do for your election:?” I said, “Let me finish your deal first, and then we’ll talk about that.”
…
“So I’m going to be asking for a million dollars from him … For my election.:
This is a good moment to wonder: who is “Angels representative”? Pringle? Flint? A player to be named later?
No, Flint is referred to here as the Angels Consultant. And I never heard anything about Pringle being involved in this. It’s probably someone who works for the Angels that we never heard of.
But on Harry wanting ONE MILLION DOLLARS… I prefer the original novel to this new movie. The NOVEL (the FBI affidavit) was even better.
First, at the end of October, Sidhu was wanting “at least half a million dollars.” As a couple months went by and he probably started realizing how much Arte and Ament stood to profit, he decided he wanted more and started talking about “at least a million.”
On Jan. 28 he was recorded speaking on the phone to Ament (who knew he was being recorded). Let’s just change “Angels Representative 2,” randomly, to Randy.
Ament: Um, you had mentioned you wanted to try to get Randy a higher level. Up to the million dollar level. Do you think Randy go there? Do you have a reason to think Randy go higher? Randy’s never gone there before.
HS: Gone? Gone where?
Ament: To, to a million, for re-election. To help with the PACs.
HS: At least, you know, you should shoot for 3 million total?
Ament: Okay.
HS: You should. Because I am hoping to get at least a million from I’m going to be pushing it. Randy actually asked me. Randy said, “What can I do for your election?” I said, “Let me finish your deal first, and then we’ll talk about that.”
Ament: Ok.
You hear how they dont’ even understand each other? Todd isn’t sure Randy will “go higher” i.e. to a million. Harry doesn’t understand Todd’s manner of speaking, and thinks Todd is trying to get Harry to ask for a “higher” amount than 1 million. So Harry’s mind immediately jumps all the way up to $3 MILLION! Todd no doubt rolling his eyes knowing it’s all being taped, says “OK.”
Nobody mentions that part.
I noticed that. I thought that it was Sidhu trying to establish a bargaining position: if you want a million, ask for three million, and then let them bargain you down 2/3 of the way.
I also thought that the Angels consultant and the Angels representative were the same person. I’ll check and see if I transcribed that poorly. … hold music plays … no, they do use both terms. Angels rep held the purse strings, and Angel’s consultant was point of contact. It’s the former who may rope in Arte Moreno when MLB investigates.
During a City Council meeting in September 2020, defendant voted in favor of the final terms of the Angel Stadium deal. Both at that time and later, defendant failed to notify other City Councilmembers or the public that he had provided confidential inside negotiation information to the Angels. Also, at no time after that vote did defendant notify other City Councilmembers or the public that he expected to receive a $1 million campaign contribution from the Angels after the City’s sale of Angel Stadium to the Angels. Defendant deleted the emails between him and the Angels consultant and Ament, including his July 21, 2020 email and its attachment, knowingly and willfully for the purpose of impeding and obstructing an ongoing FBI investigation. At the time he deleted the email messages, it was reasonably foreseeable to defendant that the FBI would be investigating whether federal law was violated during negotiations related to the Angel Stadium sale. By deleting the email messages, defendant destroyed them because his email service permanently deleted emails in the deleted folder after 30 days.
More “Business of Baseball.”
Defendant also lied about the Angel Stadium sale negotiations and related matters when FBI agents interviewed him on May 12, 2022, in Anaheim California. During that interview, defendant falsely stated that he was expecting “nothing” from the Angels after the Angel Stadium sale, when in truth he was expecting to receive a $1 million campaign contribution for his election after the sale. Defendant also falsely stated that he does not “conduct any City Business” from his personal email. Not only did defendant conduct City business using his personal email, but he also communicated with some City staff using that staff’s personal email, purposely avoiding using the staff member’s official City email address. For example, on October 22, 2020, using his personal email, defendant sent an email message wherein he wrote: “[Angels consultant] and Todd [Ament]: please do NOT Reply All to this email – sent to WRONG CITY EMAIL for [City employee]. Please ONLY use PERSONAL EMAIL FOR [City employee – []@gmail.com. Thanks. Defendant also falsely stated that he did not recall ever providing information about the Stadium sale to the Angels consultant during negotiations over that sale. Defendant knowingly and willfully made these false statements with knowledge both that the statements were untrue and that his conduct was unlawful. Defendant’s false statements were material to the then on-going FBI investigation of defendant’s possible violation of federal law, including public corruption.
Let me note that during this whole process, many of us were filing public records requests and otherwise spinning our wheels based on the presumption that nothing this blatant was happening. I do have sympathy for City Staff members who were put in a position of choosing between their livelihood and the law — but there was a right answer to that question and they not only screwed themselves over in the end but they stole time, effort, and peace of mind from community watchdogs.
So I’d look forward to providing a victim statement to bump up his imprisonment on this count.
Want to know how to make a federal case out of something? Here’s how!
Additionally, from October 2020 to early November 2020, defendant knowingly, intentionally, and with the intent to defraud, devised and executed a scheme to defraud the State of California of more than $15,000 of sales tax revenue. In October 2020, defendant purchased a used helicopter for approximately $205,000. At that time, defendant fraudulently represented that he resided in Arizona, even though he lived in Anaheim, California, and the helicopter was hangered in Chino, California. Defendant used a mailing address in Scottsdale, Arizona, which belonged to an Anaheim businessperson. Defendant’s false statement about his residency was material in that it affected defendant’s sales tax liability for the helicopter purchase. He made the false representation for the purpose of avoiding a 7.75% sales tac imposed by the State of California. Had defendant truthfully reported that he resided in California, defendant, as well he knew, would have incurred a $15,887 tax liability. On November 2, 2020, acting for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud the State of California, defendant cause the transmission of an email message in interstate commerce from the helicopter broker to the title company, which instructed that the helicopter be registered in the State of Arizona. Based upon his fraudulent use of the Arizona address, defendant defrauded the State of California of approximately $15,887 in California sales tax.
Defendant also provided false information to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. On November 10, 20202, defendant submitted FAA Doem 8040-1, “Aircraft Registration Application,” for the helicopter, which defendant signed and certified as true. Right above his signature, the Form provided a warning that under federal law, any false, misleading, or fraudulent statements or representations could result in imprisonment and/or a fine. Defendant falsely represented on that form that his permanent mailing address was in Scottsdale, Arizona, when in truth and fact, defendant lived in Anaheim, California, and his permanent mailing address was in Anaheim, California. Defendant also provided that false address on FAA Forrm 8050-2, “Aircraft Bill of Sale.{ Defendant knowingly and willfully made these false statements with knowledge that the statements were false and his conduct was unlawful. Defendant’s false statements were material to the operations of the FAA.
Yikes. The California tax-evasion could send harry to Chino where he can get conjugal visits with his helicopter.
They might even allow him to wear his flight suit!
An orange one.
Here’s the meeting that the Cabal was rehearsing for in mock meetings, It’s Sept 29, 2020. Item 7. Remember it’s teleconferenced so there’s nothing to see. Gonna listen to it later today and see if I can picture them rehearsing this so many times.
https://anaheim.granicus.com/player/clip/2477?view_id=2&redirect=true&h=b1f89a28ca93358dc52e9f7939289c3a
(PS this was also the meeting that led us to recall Brandman. Jose was all, to me, before this meeting, “You guys are already recalling Harry, why don’t you tell Jordan that you’ll recall him too if he votes for this Angels deal?” I shoulda said to Jose in his own words, “You plead it you lead it!” Anyway Jordan of course voted with Sidhu, so we had to do our recall. Months before we learned about his “Vicious Texts.”)
Ah, the Vicious Texts. Another example besides this one of someone being tripped up by the ancillary offense rather than primarily by the more serious central crime. Same thing happened to Ament.
Same thing happened – classic case – to Al Capone.
And Sidhu signed this exactly 94-1/2 years, to the day, after the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. Nice touch!
I’m skipping the section on “Sentencing Factors” — page 16, line 8 to page 18, line 21.
Now that you’ve got the copter story, let’s turn back to the bribe story. Neither the FBI’s indictment, nor this post, have mentioned the biggest villain in this story.
The Angels took advantage of existing corruption of City of Anaheim government. That’s bad, but there’s something worse.
This system was essentially created by and existed due to the Disney Corporation. They are the ones whose money and agents put Sidhu there in the first place, when he narrowly defeated Ashleigh Aitken in 2018. They are the ones who funded a Council that had an active aversion to representing the public rather than the monied interests. They are the ones who, year after year, assured that Anaheim would have a corrupt Council that would serve their interests; that it also served the Angels’ interest was simply incidental.
The FBI and the US Attorney’s Office might want to keep that in mind.
Based on a conversation with Jose Moreno, which was based on conversations he had with City Attorney Fabela, I’m gonna write a new piece about how this plea deal contains really good news for Anaheim (apart from the closure it provides.)
In short, since the Angels obviously lied when they told us they never got confidential info – through Jeff Flint who WAS their consultant/employee – they are in breach of contract, and we can retract Sidhu’s Jan 2019 re-instatement of their lease.
Then the land is unencumbered and worth a lot more. And we can negotiate a new and better lease with them, and have them pay fair rent until that’s ironed out.
But this should be its own story.
Jose is very smart. No wonder it took such a big team to rehearse how to discredit him. By the way: if Rubalcava takes a dive to save her lustrous skin, Jose could legally be appointed to the District 3 position. I think that that might be a pretty good idea right now.
I’m going to have up another story within a week or so. (Why are we giving away all of our story suggestions? Oh well, we’re just generous.)
Remember when I called upon people to contact the Baseball Commissioner to get Arte Moreno removed?
Didn’t get much traction then. Now I think it might. Arte should be ordered to sell the team, even if it’s in a fire sale.
The Angels should leave. Go somewhere where they are appreciated. And take all that charity money with them
Awwww… Sad face emoticon. Okay they can stay for free.
Hey, you and us might really like the new owners, once Arte is banned from the game!
Yeah that annual charity money is what, a quarter the salary of a banjo hitting utility infielder?
Adios Arte. And Take Mr. Manfred with you (unless he was being facetious).
Shit, looks like I wasn’t the only one Jose told about this idea.
https://voiceofoc.org/2023/08/could-the-angels-soon-be-playing-baseball-without-a-stadium-lease-in-anaheim/
Oh well, one less thing I have to write. Stay tuned for my Bahu Saga. It is one of my kaleidoscopic tapestries of hinkiness.
And speaking of fire sales… When the Baseball Commissioner is contacted it should be noted that Arte has been delaying the building of the Platinum Triangle Fire Station #12 since the Angel Stadium sale went south in June 2022.
In the haze of the Maui fire the Council might wish to publicly push back on Arte’s holdup of the project.
According to the Fire Chief at his recent Budget presentation, the contract to design and build the fire station has been “awarded” (whatever that means).
Tuesday the Fire Department called back to say the project has “stalled in the advanced planning stage due to the issues related to development around Angel Stadium.”
There is no physical address for the station or project number assigned. Without these, Public Works is finding it difficult to find the paperwork.
Environmental studies back as far as 2010 (JL Report page 263) recognized the need for a new fire station in the Platinum Triangle due to the increased density of housing (1,200 new units?).
13 years later the density of the Platinum Triangle has increased over 4 times and the ground has not yet been broken for the new fire station.
When is the Council going to tell Arte to play ball on public safety? Is it going to take another Maui-sized fire?
This should actually be its own post! If you can flesh it out at all, please send it to Vern. We’ll give you credit — and we won’t forward you comments from our trolls!
So go
So how many out of those 50 years will Harry sidhu so behind bars? The information doesn’t say what the minimum is but they say that the amount of jail time they will give him.
This is holding up the OC Vibe project as well. Surprised the Samueli’s haven’t gotten involved yet.