Anaheim's scandal trade chamber draws a surprising U-turn

The Anaheim Chamber of Commerce has pulled a U-turn and no one goes anywhere.

The background story

The chamber had been involved in a corruption scandal that led to the former mayor of Anaheim, Harry Sidhu, was sentenced to two months in prison. And the former managing director of the chamber, Todd Ament, is waiting for the conviction.

It seemed that the Business Group may not survive: At the beginning of this month, the president and managing director of the chamber sent the employees with the news with which he had immediately resigned, and the organization would be interpreted at the end of April, a development, a development first reported In the Orange County Register.

What happened next?

However, the chamber made an explanation this week that the Board of Directors unanimously agreed to assert itself and to follow a “new approach and a new direction for the chamber”.

Who will be responsible?

“For the first time, millennials are now leading the chamber,” says the press release.

The local business owner Dara Maleki will take over as President and CEO, while Michael Johnson was appointed head of the Board of Directors. Johnson serves in some boards in the city, including the YMCA of the Anaheim family.

“Let me be absolutely clear: the Chamber of Commerce from Anaheim does not close. Instead, we will be a leading chamber of the 21st century,” said Maleki in the explanation. “We enter into a time of renewal – build up the trust, listen to our community and create a chamber that works for all of anaism.”

Johnson added: “The board is now pursuing a new approach and a new direction for the chamber … and to bring a new generation of leadership.”

What is on the agenda?

The Chamber of Commerce would like to “appeal to its business activities on the right, outstanding obligations and re -enact their programs according to the needs of the diverse business world of Anaheim,” said the press release. (You can see some of your plans for business and community events here.)

The city's spokesman, Mike Lyster, told Laist that the city welcomed the “new incarnation” of the Business Group.

While Lyster said the city was “encouraged” and “optimistic” in the future of the chamber, there are “no immediate plans for funds or formal agreements or the like”.

The Chamber of Commerce announced a number of upcoming events in early June, including the Luncheon of the Anaheim Chamber in the Angel Stadium. Lyster said it was likely and typical that the full advice is present at this event.

Laist contacted the Anaheim, Maleki and Johnson Chamber of Commerce to receive further comments.

How we came here

In 2020, the city council of Anaheim approved the sale of Angel Stadium to the owners of the base team for 320 million dollars.

However, the sale fell apart after a federal investigation had shown that the then mayor Sidhu had shared “urban-specific information” with the owners of the angels against the city. The examination also showed an excessive friendly relationship between Sidhu and Ament, the former CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

According to the public prosecutor, Aent was the ring loader of a “cabal” of managers, including politicians and business leaders. According to the prosecutors, he worked behind the scenes to influence the city. Ament also guilty of washing money that was intended for the chamber to cheat on mortgageers to buy a house. He is waiting for the conviction and could be exposed to prison for 30 years or more.

According to the federal investigative generation, a national state examination also showed that the Chamber of Commerce could not take into account how taxpayers' dollars were spent by the city for the promotion of local companies.

The audit also showed that millions of the chamber were used to support “fixed-friendly candidates through their political action committee”, and to fight laws that are favorable for hotels near Disneyland, in violation of the law.

The new management of the Chamber of Commerce said that she would reduce the relationships with the Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Political Action and ask the PAC to remove the name of the chamber from branding.

In the declaration of news this week, the chamber promised that new leadership through “a transparent transformation process that would focus on the accountability”.