Unnamed employee cited in FBI public record.
QUICK FACTS:
- The FBI released an affidavit identifying an employee from an unnamed company who they allege is part of a “cabal” controlling Anaheim, California’s government.
- A report in the LA Times noted that “Company A” from the document is part of a federal public corruption probe due to their part in influencing city council members’ votes.
- The company is called “community powerbroker,” and according to a source cited by the LA Times, “Company A” is a code for Disneyland Resort.
- The employee is reportedly Disneyland Resort Director of External Affairs Carrie Nocella.
DETAILS FROM THE FBI:
- Court filings on the investigation gave what the times called an “unusually detailed look” into how the company worked to mold local politics.
- “Though neither the company nor Nocella have been accused of wrongdoing, their connection to the wide-ranging investigation that led to Harry Sidhu resigning as Anaheim mayor Monday underscores the immense influence the company wields in the city of 350,000 with a budget fueled by millions of visitors each year to the Disneyland Resort,” the Times reported.
BACKGROUND:
- It has long been suspected that the massive Disney company has some role in city politics in Anaheim, and local activists say the resort has pushed for huge tax breaks due to that influence.
- Disney has denied these claims, saying that the resort provides the city with an important part of its economy and is a big job creator, offering big benefits to the area.
