Bedoya, Aitken, Ballinas
Big 100-year anniversary coming up in Anaheim October 11 – that day in 1926 saw the Grand Opening of the Mexican School on La Palma Avenue! The days of legal segregation. I’ve been planning to write a special piece about that here. Some of us have been researching the vanished neighborhood of La Conga. That’s a Mexican-American barrio where La Palma Park is now, and north of that – a neighborhood erased by the City in the 50’s and 60’s for this stupid reason and that.
In the 20’s as well, the swimming pool was built at Pearson Park (STILL Anaheim’s only public pool!) and, as many people know, “Mexicans” (thought by some white folks to be “dirty”) were not allowed to swim in it, except for once a week right before its cleaning. Well, what many do NOT know is it was legal and political activism from the united mothers of the La Conga neighborhood that finally put an end to that discrimination.
Donna and I read about all that in an out-of-print memoir entitled (not kidding) “Hi! My Name is Chicken” by Rosie Lopez Schelerth, the ex-wife of famed and moody muralist Emigdio Lopez. Rosie grew up in La Conga! And she tells us more. Groups of Mexican boys REALLY wanted to swim in that Pearson Park Pool, it didn’t seem fair that they couldn’t. Just as today, some “Mexicans” had lighter skin than others, and PASSED, and got in! HA! The darker-skinned boys laughed at the lifeguards as the pool closed for the day, “YOU HAD A MEXICAN IN YOUR POOL AND YOU DIDN’T KNOW! JA JA!!“
It is even whispered, or rumored, that the light-skinned Mexican boy, before leaving the pool, secretly peed in it. NOT because he was innately a pool-pee-er, or “dirty,” BUT ON PRINCIPLE!
Composite of three images, circa 1926, of Anaheim City Park, located at 400 N. Harbor Blvd., later known as Pearson Park; top image shows “plunge” swimming pool with many swimmers, diving board and diving platform in the background; middle image shows baseball diamond and spectators in stadium; lower left image shows lily pond.
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You’re probably thinking I made all that up, pero no. Fast forward a century and *I* thought people were making it up Monday night when I read that Mayor Ashleigh Aitken had, when her Mexican-American chief of staff Berenice Ballinas had to drive her home from events because Ashleigh had drunk too much, “exclaimed” to Berenice that she “didn’t want her car driven by a dirty Mexican!” At other times, Ashleigh and then-City Manager James Vanderpool gave Berenice a hard time about possibly being a lesbian, like that was any of their damn business. Sounds like this kind of stuff happened many times, and sometimes in front of witnesses.
All day yesterday I had dozens of people texting me the story, “Have you seen this?” I’m not sure if my reaction was always the correct one. To Mirvette I said, “Yeah, white people probably shouldn’t get drunk, they say stupid things.” She responded, “How about she shouldn’t believe those things or ever say those things?” Well, yeah. Does Ashleigh believe “Mexicans” are “dirty?” I’m assuming she was Trying to Be Funny While Drunk, but maybe I’m just projecting – I’ve said plenty of lame-ass things myself when I was drunk, thinking I was being funny. Probably not “Dirty Mexicans” though. Let alone multiple times. Let alone to a subordinate.
Anyway there was a Council meeting that night – last night – and I walked in with an open mind, thinking this could all be true, or maybe not. Ashleigh was there and ran the meeting as well as usual, although Donna saw her closer up and thinks she had been crying. She did seem chastened, humbled, not like someone wrongly accused. Gadflies demanded her resignation, CHISPA demanded her resignation. The Arzola family, there as always to demand justice and transparency for last December’s police killing of 19-year old Albert, wore Mexican-flag colors, sarcastically called themselves Dirty Mexicans, claimed that the reason Albert got killed and his killing covered up was because to the City he was just another “Dirty Mexican,” and they also demanded Ashleigh’s resignation. (Actually if any Mexican was dirty it was Nathan Garcia, the cop who killed Albert.)
Then, when public comments were over, the only Councilmember to address the scandal was the other blond lady from the Hills, Natalie Meeks – who called for an investigation. It was interesting like she’d been chosen to be the adult on the dais, while all the “Mexicans” on Council (of unknown cleanliness) ignored the issue. Meeks pledged that if the investigation bore out Ashleigh’s guilt, she would also demand Ashleigh’s resignation. And then Ashleigh herself spoke:
Ashleigh asks us to judge her by “the values she has demonstrated through her actions.” What values, which actions? Let’s be fair. What comes to mind:
- She did choose to hire this Mexican-American Berenice way back in ’22, putting her in a high-paying trusted position with a lot of responsibility (even if she did at some point turn out to be a terrible boss);
- As you can hear above, she took the time to learn Spanish fluently AS AN ADULT which is hard; I think that was during COVID;
- She voted for all the immigrant-helping programs her colleagues proposed; they weren’t her ideas but she supported them.
On the other hand, over these four years she and her supposed “reform” council have made only the most minimal “reforms,” and have resisted any proposals that would REALLY make life better for Anaheim’s working class (mostly Mexican AND clean) – proposals like rent control and a gate tax. The Arzola situation shows that police reform and accountability remains a distant dream, and the victims are mostly young “Mexicans.”
The Overton’s Window is very small and unshifting over this Council, from which rarely a dissenting voice is heard. My friends in business say “Isn’t it nice now that there’s no arguing on Council, everyone gets along so well?” and I say NO. Not even the two-and-a-half Mexicans THREE-and-a-half Mexicans* on the council, of varying and undetermined hygiene, ever step out of line.
And, apparently (unless some investigation proves otherwise) when liquor loosens the Mayor’s lips she jokes (or raves angrily??) about Dirty Mexicans, and speculates on her subordinate’s proclivities.
So, WILL ASHLEIGH RESIGN?
And, what would that mean?
This is for sure an awkward time for all this to transpire. First, how long will this supposed investigation take? Second, RE-ELECTION season is just kicking off, and if Ashleigh does resign it seems like she may have to do it twice! It’s way too late to take her name off the ballot.
Say, she resigns in the next few weeks, in October. Mayor duties will temporarily go to the meek Mayor Pro-Tem, Carlos Leon. But Ashleigh will still almost certainly be elected. Because nobody’s heard of the two guys running against her, a young businessman named Alfredo Rodriguez and a Pakistani-American sleep doctor from the Hills named Dr. Imran Sharief. Some are looking at those two with new interest, and they will be coming to the next Anaheim Democrats Club meeting October 8, but it’s hard to picture either of them getting more votes than Ashleigh. And no, just because she resigns in October doesn’t mean the second place finisher gets the prize.
Ashleigh will most certainly win the election in November, and then be sworn in at the last December meeting as tradition dictates. And then either resign once more, or humbly, humbly accept this election as FORGIVENESS for her misdeeds, and an invitation back from her WEEKS of exile. She will have really learned a lot at that point!
Nah, if she resigns, it’s the December resignation that means anything. Then, ANAHEIM WILL NEED A MAYOR! This isn’t like when Sidhu resigned in 2022 and there were only five months left till election so Trevor O’Neil was allowed to be “Play Mayor” for a short time. There’ll be a choice to either APPOINT the next Mayor or… wait, NO! Council cannot be allowed to choose who will be Mayor of OC’s biggest city for the next 3 years and 11 months. No way. There will have to be an expensive special election early next year.
Natalie Meeks’ performance last night makes her a suspect for mayoral aspiration. But Anaheim Kremlinologists, of whom there are many, say NO. The powers behind the throne want a “Mexican” – hopefully a “clean” one – that they know they can manipulate. The other Natalie is too unpredictable and polarizing. Anaheim Kremlinologists predict the fix is in for Carlos Leon. I mean look at district 2 right now, his signs are all over even though he’s got nobody running against him. (I, less paranoid, think his vendor was just bugging, “Carlos, I was counting on doing your signs this year,” and Carlos is not good at saying no.)
In any case.. it’s after midnight and I wanted to get this out today… I believe that next year’s special Mayoral election will likely feature the long-awaited Second Coming of Dr. Jose Moreno.
ALSO, keep your eyes open, just in case Ashleigh or her handlers decide to hang on – Keep your eyes and ears open for the ABSOLUTION CHORUS of HOMEGROWN LATINO VENDIDOS, from Congressman Lou Correa all the way down to young Leon – swearing up and down that Ashleigh is and has always been a great friend to the Brown Masses and that it’s really not such a big deal if indeed she sometimes jokes drunkenly about Dirty Mexicans.
Ariel and Penelope get tonight’s Last Word.
UPDATE Oct. 2, 9:45 AM
*Yes, three and a half Mexicans on Anaheim Council it turns out, see comment… no I’ll write it here too. I used to count Norma Campos-Kurtz as “half Mexican”, partly because when she first ran, her website listed “Jewish” as her ethnicity, and I never heard her speak Spanish. But last Tuesday, as she joined the call for investigations, she told touching stories of growing up poor in East LA with Mexican parents who came home from work dirty.
And now it turns out Kristen is half-Mexican! And she also says she got beat up by three racist guys for criticizing them for their racism. This makes not only Kristen half-Mexican, but the Council half Mexican! What next, will Balius turn out to be part Mexican? He looks like he could be!
Speaking of Ryan, he got all bold for a minute last Tuesday and began to suggest that Ashleigh should be placed on leave, like any employee who needs to be investigated.. but then at the last minute he backed off and suggested instead that “we should pause all public calendars for now.” SCARED HIMSELF! Yeah right, stop all Council till an investigation happens.
But things are moving too quick, the 6-member Council (Ashless) is just this moment meeting in closed session about the problem. And *I* have to run to a doctor’s appointment! Here are the public comments leading up to that:
Resign? FFP considers herself oc royalty.
Funny how these allegations about her are newsworthy.
Throwback Thursday!!! Ashleigh loves the gays and it makes the paper. #tbt
https://abc7.com/amp/post/anaheim-sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence-pride-night-angels/13276665/
Will any local Democratic Party club condemn Princess Ashleigh??
The oc human relations commission has still not scheduled a special meeting to conduct its 3rd meeting of the year after abruptly cancelling the regular meeting on August 13th.
Something doesn’t smell right with these allegations, first of all. Second of all, Aitken is the best mayor Anaheim has had in forever. It is telling that only Meeks is taking these allegations seriously.
I think that Tom Tait, especially when he was part of the Council majority, would easily be #1. For #2 — well, Ashleigh’s competition for that honor is not particularly strong.
Foreign agent Farrah didn’t resign after marginalising the local Armenian community (although her political career did flame out). What makes you think FFP would ever resign over this?
Well, maybe she won’t. But one obvious difference is the population of Irvine is NOT over 50% Armenian. That’d be like one of these ladies doing that shit in Glendale. But much more.
Duh, and again duh.
Vern, i think you just confirmed that what is considered racism or xenophobia is purely political. If it only matters when someone is racist by demographics, then why push for her resignation when the voters can cancel her at the ballot box?
Vern, I’m deliberately asking this of you rather than Knishanian.
I’ve worked out that when Knish uses the term “FFP” he is referring to Ashleigh.
I’m guessing that the ending “P” stands for “princess.” Is that right?
But what does the preceding “FF” stand for? Given Knish’s obsessions, is the whole thing “Farrah Farrah Princess”?
It’s better than that. It’s “former federal prosecutor.” It was sort of her refrain during the 2018 campaign.
One of the funniest parts of that campaign was the way (the very envious) Lorri Galloway would make fun of her, prancing around and saying “Ooh, look at ME, I’m a federal prosecutor!” Good times, good times.
Another obvious difference is Ashleigh did not let a foreign government infiltrate city hall while marginalising a minority group that is also marginalised by that same foreign government.
Another obvious difference is the allegations against FFP have not been substantiated and her alleged conduct was against one person.
Do you really contend that not being Armeniacentric [sic] is in itself bigotry?
You, sir, are several bubbles off plumb.
As to our Mayor’s “Dirty Mexican “ problem. As any of my friends can testify I am a 75 year old white man and at my age I have in my past said plenty of dumb shit. The big difference is I am not Mayor and No one cares what I say . I cannot imagine living in a fishbowl where people are constantly looking at what I say.
So as a very flawed 75 year old I say let’s give our Mayor the benefit of the doubt and give her another chance while not forgetting about this and chalk this up to the Demon Rum. And hope she does better in the future!
I don’t think that she needs to quit pre-election, Wes, and I wish that she had listened when I told her at the AnaDems meeting she attended that Disneyland — represented on the Council by Natalie Meeks more than anyone — was not her friend. I’d probably vote for her for Mayor and then might call upon her to resign, unless this can be clearly a matter of a poorly planned and executed — but not necessarily maliciously intended — joke.
I do think that it would be better for her future political career to swallow her pride and take the “L.” If no one wants to deal with her on the dais because of this, she has a long time being miserable in front of her. (She can ask Tom Tait about how much fun that isn’t.) If the other pass a motion to remove her from the Chair at every meeting, it will hurt her political career more than being Mayor would help. She’d still have the title of Mayor, and potentially the power to do Mayoral things (like decide what’s on the agenda), but there are probably clever ways that that power could be taken away from her. I think that the likelihood is high each other member on the Council would have similar-sized skeletons in their closets, but that doesn’t mean that she’d turn out OK.
Remember, both Natalies are from the “PR rules!” wing of the party, which is not one for fairness or forgiveness, where there’s power to be grabbed. Her statement struck me as pretty good, but there too much hay to be made from attacks to expect a smooth road.
This isn’t 2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal, Vern! Sheesh!
Maybe not. But it’s OUR scandal, damn it!
The ADL hasn’t spoken and they won’t because they love the Aitken family. It must be a farce if the ADL won’t condemn her. They condemned Van der wierdo from hb for less. And she was a lowly finance commissioner then. They’d get a lot of publicity going after ffp.
https://www.ocweekly.com/anti-defamation-league-joins-call-for-hb-finance-commissioners-removal-2/
When Ashleigh and my wife were young attorneys back in 2004, they served together on the OC Women Lawyers Association. That was 22 years ago though. They both passed the bar in 2002.
I ran this story by my wife. She said the allegations were not of the Ashleigh she knows.. But, since then, Ashleigh endorsed and attempted to campaign for atleast one known Xenophobe in the county – none other than Foreign Agent Farrah – on account of Princess Ashleigh being so supportive of minorities.
Apparently, ffp has just denied making the dirty Mexican statement but I don’t see her denying the remarks about the sexual orientation of her cos. I guess being a champion of the lgbtq+ community excused her digression.
https://www.facebook.com/AshleighAitkenOC/posts/statement-from-mayor-ashleigh-aitken/1483805003557309/
If the tables were turned and a minority female mayor went after her white cos re their cracker, queerness would this be the scandal it is being made out to be re Ashleigh?
These allegations are just not true. I have known Ashleigh for many years, and as a conservative, have many different views from hers. However, I have always known her to be very thoughtful courteous, and of the highest character and moral fiber. She has a strong social conscience and is fiercely protective of others of different cultural backgrounds and preferences. I’ve directly observed Ashleigh in dealing with these very issues.
In my humble opinion, this is a political hit on her by her opposition. Clearly, the politics of personal destruction. They couldn’t possibly take her on on the issues so they come up with this kind of slander. Judge her by her actions and deeds, not the words of others who may have a political agenda of their own.
Maybe… except, WHAT political opposition?
Your giving a definitive answer as to whether some actually did something they were accused of, when you are in no position to say, shows that you are indeed a (MAGA) conservative.
This is a “she said/she said” situation given that no one else who wasn’t there can know about for sure. Maybe she just had a bad day. Maybe she was making a joke. Maybe (as she says) whatever she may have said should be contextualized before she is judged — which I think is a fair statement (but doesn’t rule out the possibility that she is knowing lying.)
I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth about what she did or didn’t say for certain. But the stakes are not so huge that they can’t be cured with an apology, even a lame one. I say that because I can believe that she said it, presuming that her interlocutor would know that she didn’t mean it, but I am pretty confident that she didn’t mean it, if so.
Rule out “a bad day.” Because if Berenice is to be believed it happened multiple times. On top of the lesbian-taunting. And apparently sometimes with witnesses.
Shouldn’t the Democrat party be self-immolating over ffp?
Ashleigh’s statement from the other day:
So, she denies “making the racial slur attributed to me,” presumably the “dirty Mexican,” and she adds that she’s “always been a champion of the LGBTQ community” whatever that has to do with it.
I do notice that, while she purports to be solicitous and caring to her accuser, she twice implies that Berenice is crazy: “an employee who has recently suffered a serious medical issue” and “I sincerely wish her well in her recovery.” That’s how people who are inclined to hear it that way, and haven’t heard the details of the Times story, will hear it.
Even Dan C. noticed that, although he of course has a hard time putting his thoughts into clear sentences:
“I’m going to fault Aitken’s statement because she felt the need to reference Ballinas’ health issue which is designed to point a finger instead of accept the results of a complete investigation.”
https://theliberaloc.com/2026/09/25/patience-and-process-navigating-the-allegations-against-anaheim-mayor-ashleigh-aitken/
And he ends, hilariously, with his never-ending grudge against Ashleigh for not standing with his beloved Melahat 4 years ago when Melahat was charged (accurately, and convicted!) of bribery and corruption. He suggests that it will be deserved karma when people don’t stand with Ashleigh. Can you imagine, Dan’s world still revolves around the “injustice” done to Melahat!
A Netanyahu thread I started In 2012.
https://forum.hyeclub.com/forum/general-discussions/intellectual-lounge/20542-red-line-around-netanyahu
Apparently the Anaheim POA has rescinded their support for Ashley over this issue.
Yes, three and a half Mexicans on Anaheim Council it turns out. I used to count Norma Campos-Kurtz as “half Mexican”, partly because when she first ran, her website listed “Jewish” as her ethnicity, she left out “Campos,” and I never heard her speak Spanish. But last Tuesday, as she joined the call for investigations, she told touching stories of growing up poor in East LA with Mexican parents who came home from work dirty.
And now it turns out Kristen is half-Mexican! And she also says she got beat up in a parking lot by three racist guys for criticizing them for their racism. (Should be a movie!) This makes not only Kristen half-Mexican, but the Council half Mexican! What next, will Balius turn out to be part Mexican? He looks like he could be!
Speaking of Ryan, he got all bold for a minute last Tuesday and began to suggest that Ashleigh should be placed on leave, like any employee who needs to be investigated.. but then at the last minute he backed off and suggested instead that “we should pause all public calendars for now.” SCARED HIMSELF! Yeah right, stop all Council till an investigation happens.
But things are moving too quick, the 6-member Council (Ashless) is just this moment meeting in closed session about the problem. And *I* have to run to a doctor’s appointment! Here are the public comments leading up to that: