California mayor accused of running booze-soaked city hall, showing up drunk, harassing staff and hurling slurs

Anaheim’s mayor is facing an extraordinary workplace complaint from her own chief of staff that paints a picture of booze, alleged harassment and political-business-as-usual gone badly off the rails.Chief of Staff Berenice Ballinas claims Mayor Ashleigh Aitken repeatedly appeared intoxicated at city functions — including one City Council meeting — and that on one occasion the mayor allegedly ended up pawing through a former city manager’s car on the ride home.Ballinas’ 25-page claim, released by the city Thursday, also accuses Aitken of making crude comments about her sexuality and using a racial slur against her.Among the allegations, Ballinas says Aitken called her “a dirty Mexican” in front of former City Manager Jim Vanderpool.She also claims the mayor described God as “her imaginary friend.”Aitken has previously denied allegations that she made racist or homophobic remarks.The drinking allegations include a particularly strange ride home following an April 2025 council meeting.Ballinas claims Aitken appeared “visibly impaired by alcohol” and needed transportation after the closed session.According to Ballinas, she drove the mayor in Vanderpool’s car — where Aitken allegedly began searching through the vehicle and Vanderpool’s personal belongings, snapping photographs along the way.The claim does not reveal what, if anything, Aitken allegedly found because portions are redacted.Another alleged night out ended with the mayor’s husband intervening.

Ballinas says that during a Team Anaheim dinner, Aitken became physically affectionate with a redacted person before her husband removed her from the gathering.Ballinas then claims the mayor knocked over a bicycle and damaged its mirror before falling into the street.Ballinas says she warned the mayor’s husband that Aitken was not OK.His alleged response? “Don’t we all?”And the chief of staff claims the alleged drinking and personal-boundary problems weren’t confined to city func...