{{Short description|American politician (born 1957)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Harry Sidhu |image = Harry Sidhu.jpg |office = 46th Mayor of Anaheim |term_start = December 4, 2018 |term_end = May 24, 2022 |predecessor = Tom Tait |successor = Ashleigh Aitken |office1 = Mayor pro tempore of Anaheim |1blankname1 = Mayor |1namedata1 = Curt Pringle <br /> Tom Tait |term_start1 = January 12, 2010 |term_end1 = December 11, 2012 |predecessor1 = Bob Hernandez |successor1 = Gail E. Eastman |office2 = Member of the Anaheim City Council<br>for the At Large district |term_start2 = December 7, 2004 |term_end2 = December 11, 2012 |predecessor2 = Tom Tait |successor2 = Lucille Kring |birth_name = Harish Singh Sidhu<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|title=Former Anaheim mayor agrees to plead guilty to federal charges related to attempted sale of Angel Stadium|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/us/anaheim-harish-sidhu-angel-stadium-sale/index.html|date=August 17, 2023|last=Romine|first=Taylor|access-date=August 18, 2023|publisher=CNN |language=en}}</ref> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|7|8}} |birth_place = India |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Gin Sidhu |children = 2 |education = Drexel University (BS) |website = {{url|anaheim.net/5174/Mayor-Harry-Sidhu|Official website}}<br>{{url|harrysidhu.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Harish Singh '''"'''Harry'''"''' Sidhu''' (born July 8, 1957) is an American Republican politician and businessman who served as the 46th mayor of Anaheim, California from 2018 to 2022 after winning the office in the 2018 election. He was the first person of color and the first Sikh to serve as mayor of Anaheim.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2018/nov/09/sikh-businessman-harry-singh-sidhu-elected-mayor-of-anaheim-city-in-california-1895870.html|title=Harry Sidhu is ahead in Anaheim mayor's race, and resort worker wage measure has the lead|work=The New Indian Express|date=November 9, 2018|access-date=November 27, 2018}}</ref> He was a member of the Anaheim City Council from 2004 to 2012 and was mayor pro tempore of Anaheim from 2010 to 2012.
Sidhu resigned as Mayor effective May 24, 2022, in the midst of an FBI investigation for possible corruption involving the sale of Angel Stadium.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-23/anaheim-mayor-harry-sidhu-resigns-corruption-probe-angel-stadium-land-sale|title=Anaheim mayor resigns amid corruption probe into his role in Angel Stadium land sale|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 23, 2022|access-date=May 23, 2022}}</ref> In August 2023, he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for deleting four emails, wire fraud, and making false statements to the FAA and the FBI.<ref name="KTLA">{{cite news|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/former-anaheim-mayor-pleads-guilty-to-federal-corruption-charges/|title=Ex-Anaheim mayor to plead guilty in federal corruption case over Angel Stadium sale|publisher=KTLA|date=August 16, 2023|last=Chow|first=Vivian}}</ref> In March 2025, he was sentenced to two months in prison and fined $55,000.<ref name="sentencing">{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2025/03/28/ex-anaheim-mayor-sidhu-gets-2-months-behind-bars-55000-fine-in-case-of-ill-fated-sale-of-angel-stadium/|title=Ex-Anaheim Mayor Sidhu gets 2 months in prison, $55,000 fine in case of ill-fated sale of Angel Stadium|newspaper=The Orange County Register|date=March 28, 2025|last=Emery|first=Sean}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Elattar |first1=Hosam |title=Disgraced Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Sentenced to Two Months in Prison |url=https://voiceofoc.org/2025/03/disgraced-former-anaheim-mayor-harry-sidhu-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison/ |website=Voice of OC |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>
== Education and early career == Sidhu earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University.<ref name="SmartVoter 2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.smartvoter.org/2010/11/02/ca/or/vote/sidhu_hy/bio.html|title=Full Biography for Harry Sidhu|work=SmartVoter|date=November 2, 2010|access-date=November 27, 2018}}</ref> He became a U.S. citizen in 1979<ref name="SmartVoter 2010"/> and worked as a consulting engineer.
Sidhu served as director of the Orange County Water District Board.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ocdaily.net/pg/anaheim-harry-sidhu-opens-mayoral-campaign-committee/|title=Anaheim: Harry Sidhu Opens Mayoral Campaign Committee|work=OC Daily|last=Cunningham|first=Matthew|date=July 6, 2017|access-date=November 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/11/06/anaheim-election-will-yield-new-city-leaders-decide-resort-worker-wage-measure/|title=Harry Sidhu is ahead in Anaheim mayor's race, and resort worker wage measure has the lead|work=Orange County Register|last=Robinson|first=Alicia|date=November 8, 2018|access-date=November 27, 2018}}</ref> He also serves on the board of Friends of United States, an organization that promotes India–United States relations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.friendsofus.com/|title=Friend of United States}}</ref>
== Mayoral career == {{Missing information|section|his actual mayoral career, not just investigations|date=May 2022}} ===Resignation=== On May 16, 2022, a filing at the Orange County Superior Court stated that Sidhu was under investigation by the FBI for actions related to the sale of Angel Stadium and registering a personal helicopter at a false out-of-state address.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 16, 2022 |title=Feds Investigation Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Over Angel Stadium Sale |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/16/feds-investigating-anaheim-mayor-harry-sidhu-over-angel-stadium-sale/ |access-date=May 16, 2022 |newspaper=The Orange County Register}}</ref> On August 16, 2023, Sidhu agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice (for "deleting multiple email messages and documents"), wire fraud, and making false statements to the FAA and the FBI. He admitted to attempting to evade sales tax on the helicopter, providing confidential information to the Angels, and hoping to receive $1 million in independent expenditures from the team if they bought Angel Stadium.<ref name="CNN" /><ref name="KTLA" /><ref name="sentencing" />
== Electoral history == === City Council === {{Election box begin no party no change| title=2004 Anaheim City Council at-large election (2 seats)<ref name=archives>{{cite web |title=Election Results Archives |url=https://www.ocvote.com/data/election-results-archives |publisher=Orange County Registrar of Voters |access-date=26 September 2020 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change |candidate = Lorri Galloway |votes = 24,856 |percentage = 18.8 }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change |candidate = Harry Sidhu |votes = 24,242 |percentage = 18.4 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Jerry O'Connnell |votes = 19,044 |percentage = 14.4 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Lucile Kring |votes = 15,819 |percentage = 12.0 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Sefanie O'Neill |votes = 10,451 |percentage = 7.9 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Richard "Dick" Larochelle |votes = 10,421 |percentage = 7.9 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Andrea James |votes = 8,152 |percentage = 6.2 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = George Charles Johnson |votes = 7,243 |percentage = 5.5 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Robert J. Flores |votes = 5,068 |percentage = 3.8 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = John R. Karczynski |votes = 2,206 |percentage = 1.7 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Rubin Jamison Skipper |votes = 1,807 |percentage = 1.4 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Craig Merrihue |votes = 1,496 |percentage = 1.1 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Faiz Zuberi |votes = 1,137 |percentage = 0.9 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no party no change| title=2008 Anaheim City Council at-large election (2 seats)<ref name=archives>{{cite web |title=Election Results Archives |url=https://www.ocvote.com/data/election-results-archives |publisher=Orange County Registrar of Voters |access-date=26 September 2020 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change |candidate = Harry Sidhu (incumbent) |votes = 32,652 |percentage = 23.2 }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change |candidate = Lorri Galloway (incumbent) |votes = 31,694 |percentage = 22.6 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Gail Eastman |votes = 27,200 |percentage = 19.4 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = John Karczynski |votes = 11,668 |percentage = 8.3 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Kostas "Gus" Roditis |votes = 10,160 |percentage = 7.2 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Jennifer Rivera |votes = 8,208 |percentage = 5.8 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Robert J. Flores |votes = 7,148 |percentage = 5.1 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Steve Perez |votes = 5,495 |percentage = 3.9 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Brian Chuchua |votes = 4,957 |percentage = 3.5 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Faiz Zuberi |votes = 1,336 |percentage = 1.0 }} {{Election box end}}
=== State Assembly === {{see also|2016 California State Assembly election}} {{Election box open primary begin no change | title = California's 68th State Assembly district election, 2016 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Democratic Party | candidate = Sean Jay Panahi | votes = 32,610 | percentage = 33.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Steven Choi | votes = 19,559 | percentage = 19.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Harry Sidhu | votes = 19,405 | percentage = 19.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Deborah Pauly | votes = 13,880 | percentage = 14.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Alexia Deligianni-Brydges | votes = 5,098 | percentage = 5.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = No party preference | candidate = Brian Chuchua | votes = 4,635 | percentage = 4.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Kostas Roditis | votes = 3,528 | percentage = 3.6 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 98,715 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box open primary general election no change}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = California Republican Party | candidate = Steven Choi | votes = 114,210 | percentage = 60.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = California Democratic Party | candidate = Sean Jay Panahi | votes = 75,231 | percentage = 39.7 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 189,441 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = California Republican Party }} {{Election box end}}
=== Mayor === {{Election box begin no party no change| title=2018 Anaheim mayoral election<ref>{{cite web |title=Orange County 2018 General Election November 6, 2018 Official Results for Election |url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2018/results.htm#c-1985 |publisher=Orange County |access-date=30 September 2019 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change |candidate = Harry Sidhu |votes = 26,422 |percentage = 32.5% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Ashleigh Aitken |votes = 25,944 |percentage = 31.9% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Lorri Galloway |votes = 12,367 |percentage = 15.2% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Cynthia Ward |votes = 7,121 |percentage = 8.7% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = H. Fuji Shioura |votes = 3,024 |percentage = 3.7% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Robert Williams |votes = 2,824 |percentage = 3.5% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Rudy Gaona |votes = 2,506 |percentage = 3.1% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change |candidate = Tony D. Martin |votes = 1,199 |percentage = 1.5% }} {{Election box total no party no change |votes = 81,407 |percentage = 100% }} {{Election box end}}
== Personal life ==
Sidhu is of Punjabi descent. He emigrated from India. == References == {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite web | title = Harry Sidhu Admits to Obstructing FBI Probe into Failed Stadium Sale, Lying to FBI Agents, and Expecting $1 Million for Leaking Confidential Information | url = https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-mayor-anaheim-agrees-plead-guilty-federal-charges-stemming-attempted-sale-angel | date = August 16, 2023 | publisher = United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California}}
== External links == * [http://www.anaheim.net/5174/Mayor-Harry-Sidhu Official mayoral website] * [http://www.harrysidhu.com/ Campaign website]
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef | before = Tom Tait }} {{s-ttl | title = {{nowrap|Mayor of Anaheim}} | years = 2018–2022 }} {{s-aft | after = Ashleigh Aitken}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sidhu, Harry}} Category:1957 births Category:21st-century mayors of places in California Category:American mayors of Indian descent Category:American businesspeople Category:American engineers Category:American Sikhs Category:City council members of Asian descent Category:Asian conservatism in the United States Category:California city council members Category:California politicians convicted of crimes Category:California politicians of Indian descent Category:California Republicans Category:Candidates in the 2016 United States elections Category:Drexel University alumni Category:Indian emigrants to the United States Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Anaheim, California Category:American people of Punjabi descent