New Anaheim

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

The Anaheim Investigator has learned from campaign finance disclosures that the Hawaiian Gardens Casino in Los Angeles County--a card club that is owned by a Florida-based family which uses the profits it generates to bankroll far-right settler movements in Israel--has made thousands of dollars in contributions to multiple lawmakers here in Orange County, including State Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva.

Moreover, prima facie evidence suggests their motive for spending $221,302 to boost Ada Briceño, a union leader seeking to replace Quirk-Silva in the 67th State Assembly District, may be driven by the presence of an opponent aligned with California State Attorney General Rob Bonta, the latter of whom has aggressively pushed for tougher regulations of their industry, such as tightening dealer rules and limiting blackjack.

Sharon Quirk-Silva, a state assemblywoman currently serving the 67th District, with Victor Farfan, a Hawaiian Gardens city councilman, in 2023. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher The Anaheim…

05/16/2026

Campaign finance disclosures reviewed by The Anaheim Investigator show that an independent expenditure committee tied to the Hawaiian Gardens Casino in Los Angeles County not only spent $202,701 supporting Ada Briceño’s bid for the 67th State Assembly District, but also delivered $11,800 directly to her campaign in cash contributions.

However, a card club license renewed in February 2025 by the California Gambling Control Commission confirms this casino is still owned by a Florida based family with a history of funneling tens of millions of dollars of its profits into a foundation they use to bankroll extremist settler movements in Israel involved in the displacement of Palestinians.

Ada Briceño, a candidate in the 67th State Assembly District, whose boundaries cover eight cities, including parts of Anaheim and Fullerton. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher Campaign finan…

03/24/2026

"The truth: this tax is not a threat to innovation — it is a long‑overdue public dividend from a class of billionaires who became rich on the backs of the government. These tech titans did not bootstrap themselves into existence. Their wealth was built atop federal research grants, defense contracts, regulatory frameworks, and state‑guaranteed markets that shaped every stage of California’s rise as a global technology hub. The mythology of the 'free market' has always obscured the reality that Silicon Valley’s success was engineered through massive state intervention."

-- DUANE ROBERTS

The public helped create tech fortunes via government grants, defense contracts and corporate-friendly regulation. Some payback is in order.

01/27/2026

The Anaheim Investigator has obtained internal emails, letters, reports, and financial forms showing that State Treasurer Fiona Ma—who is currently running for Lt. Governor—quietly aided Swyft Cities, a crowdfunded high-tech startup based in northern California, encouraging it to seek state financing for its projects, especially a loan guarantee from a public bank she oversees.

The aforementioned documents, all gathered through public records act requests filed with multiple local and state agencies, also reveal a key investor in this firm has known Ma since 2012, and that she is "actively engaging in her network [of contacts] on the company's behalf," which, according to one unusual email, includes James Vanderpool, the city manager of Anaheim.

James Vanderpool, City Manager of Anaheim, and Fiona Ma, State Treasurer of California, in a restaurant bar in March 2017. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher The Anaheim Investigator has obt…

12/03/2025

Update: Coffee Social @ 6:30 P.M. Arrive early and join us for fresh coffee and delicious pastries! Mingle with fellow tenants!

11/26/2025

11/04/2025

On Tuesday, October 28th, the Anaheim City Council rejected a push by the Anaheim Police Association—the union representing 400 sworn personnel employed by the city’s police department—to place a measure on the ballot that would impose a “gate tax” on Disney theme park admissions.

Despite a parade of police union leaders speaking out in favor of the measure during public comments, proponent Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava, whose political campaigns have been heavily funded by law enforcement, was forced to acknowledge that it was “dead on arrival” after a lengthy debate.

Jose Duran, president of the Anaheim Police Association, speaks in favor of a “gate tax” on Disney theme park admissions during public comments. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publishe…

10/31/2025

“Despite all of the hoopla we’ve heard about a gate tax, most of the funds collected won’t be spent on parks, housing and vital social services. Much of it is going to be used to pay for a massive, decade-long expansion of the Anaheim Police Department — the biggest in this city’s history.” -- DUANE ROBERTS

Anaheim Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava's push for a gate tax ballot measure failed to persuade her colleagues.

10/28/2025

The Anaheim Police Association—the union representing 400 sworn personnel employed by the city’s police department—conducted a survey in mid-August asking residents if they supported “new taxes” on Disney theme park admissions providing revenue would “help with long-term budget issues without cutting services.”

Although the police union has not yet publicly endorsed a “gate tax,” evidence indicates that they, along with the Anaheim Municipal Employees Association, are part of an “emerging coalition” supportive of it–something proponent Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava acknowledged in a brief conversation earlier this month.

Campaign photo of Natalie Rubalcava with Jose Duran (second left), president of the Anaheim Police Association, and three of their board members (right). By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher T…