While the future of Angel Stadium is undecided, one person has seemingly emerged in recent weeks publishing thought leadership blogs with “firsthand” knowledge about navigating complex negotiations surrounding stadium deals.
“Negotiate hard but fair,” says a June 9 blog post under the byline of former Mayor Harry Sidhu. “Teams bring value, but so do cities. Don’t give away public land or money without getting real benefits in return. Stay transparent. Public trust is everything. Without it, even the best deal will fall apart.”
The Angel Stadium deal Sidhu negotiated did fall apart. He was sentenced earlier this year to two months in prison for obstructing federal investigators examining his actions in the city’s now-canceled sale of Angel Stadium.
A flurry of blog posts and press releases have appeared in recent weeks detailing Sidhu’s life story as an immigrant who rose to become mayor and giving his take on how local leaders can navigate public emergencies, champion small businesses and even handle sports stadium issues.
The headlines of the blogs range from “From Local Voices to National Change: Why Municipal Leaders Are America’s Frontline Problem-Solvers” to “Faith, Family, and Public Service: The Personal Values That Shape Good Governance” to “Sports, Stadiums, and Cities: Balancing Civic Pride with Smart Development.”
“You can’t just chase headlines or sign flashy deals,” a June 9 blog post reads. “Public officials have to look at the big picture — what’s the cost, what’s the return, and how does it help the average resident? Civic pride is important, but not at the expense of public trust or financial health.”
When asked if the former mayor made the posts or if it was someone impersonating him, Paul Meyer, an attorney for Sidhu, said in an email, “The items were not posted by Harry Sidhu.”
In June, five blog posts have appeared under Sidhu’s name on HarrySidhuCalifornia.com. Another website, HarrySidhuEntrepreneur.com, has four blog posts.
Sidhu was ordered to surrender himself to serve his prison sentence on June 2. Most of the posts are dated when Sidhu was in federal custody at Lompoc II in Santa Barbara County.
Sidhu’s life story published in the blogs and articles aligns with what he shared in a letter to the judge who delivered his two-month prison sentence. He arrived from India to the United States in 1974 with only $6 and his first job was as a janitor at a Philadelphia Holiday Inn.
A blog post on the platform Medium dated June 13, “Innovative Public-Private Partnerships: Lessons from Anaheim’s Economic and Social Programs,” describes issues during Sidhu’s tenure, including the pandemic, homelessness and building up the Platinum Triangle neighborhood.
Brainz Magazine’s “Harry Sidhu: From Six Dollars to City Hall” says Sidhu is now retired, but “keeps in touch with local leaders and often gives informal advice.”
A widely read Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, has a June 23 press release that says “Harry Sidhu Urges Support for Immigrant Success and Local Empowerment.” The Globe and Mail notes that syndicated content is not reviewed or approved by them. The press release appears when searching for Harry Sidhu on Google News.
HarrySidhuEntrepreneur.com was registered on June 9, but the registrant’s name is not disclosed. The same goes for HarrySidhuCalifornia.com, which was registered on April 28.
Combined, the blogs and articles appear to be a push for reputation repair when searching Sidhu’s name and to push down negative headlines, but it’s unclear the exact purpose and if Sidhu hired a firm to do the work.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons previously showed Sidhu scheduled to be released on June 29, but now lists his release date as unknown. The bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sidhu, in his plea deal, admitted to providing confidential information about price to a consultant working for the Angels so the team could buy the stadium on favorable terms. He had positioned himself as the lead negotiator in the discussions to sell the stadium.
That deal was canceled by the City Council after it became public that Sidhu was the target of an FBI investigation and he stepped down from the mayor post.