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Residents urge firing of Anaheim city manager amid renewed corruption allegations
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the City Council that the JL Group report, an FBI affidavit and media reporting link City Manager Jim Vanderpool to influence‑peddling around the Angel Stadium matter and called for his removal; speakers demanded transparency and independent oversight.
Scores of residents used the council's public comment period to press for action against City Manager Jim Vanderpool, accusing him of participating in a culture of corruption tied to the proposed sale of Angel Stadium and other city business.
Thomas Fielder, who said he has lived in Anaheim since 1984 and volunteers with housing advocacy groups, opened a series of remarks recounting a timeline of meetings and decisions beginning in 2019 and argued those events showed entrenched influence over city government. "Our story begins on 12/20/2019...." he said, laying out dates he said were relevant to the stadium discussions.
Other speakers cited the independent JL Group "jail" report and media reporting alleging improper coordination around the stadium matter. Mark Herbert said the city spent $1,000,000 on that report and criticized the council for not holding follow‑up hearings: "The corrupt culture at city hall needs to change and it needs to start now," he said, urging the firing of the city manager. Francisco Rosas and several others named specific officials and called for Vanderpool to be removed.
Supporters of a broader accountability approach said replacing a single official would not be sufficient without systemic reform. One commenter noted that the JL report mentions the city manager repeatedly and urged the council to commit to independent oversight and transparency.
Council members did not take formal action during public comment. The City Attorney later reported that one closed‑session item was pulled and there were no reportable closed‑session actions tonight. Several council members said they intend to pursue additional steps, including requesting further ethics review and public updates on investigations.
The council is expected to address procedural follow‑ups in future agenda cycles, including a proposed review of the city's ethics office procedures and an item to discuss process for the Angel Stadium property.
