Former Anaheim Councilmember Jordan Brandman, who served multiple terms on the council until resigning in 2021, was found dead at his Anaheim home Friday night. He was 43.
No cause of death has been determined, and there are no signs of foul play, according to an announcement from the city.
Anaheim police officers went to Brandman’s home Friday night in response to a welfare check request, city officials said. In December 2020 officers had conducted a previous welfare check in response to a request.
“It is with sorrow and sadness that we learned of the passing of former Councilmember Brandman,” Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said in a statement. “Any loss of life in our city is a tragedy, and my heart goes out to all who knew Jordan and who are now coping with the news of his passing.”
Kris Murray, a former councilmember and a friend of Brandman, said he cared deeply about public service and was passionate about children getting an education. Brandman was one of the youngest-ever trustees on the Anaheim Union High School District board when elected at the age of 27 in 2008.
Most recently, Brandman was working as the director of labor relations for the Building Industry Association of Southern California.
He was elected to the council in 2012, but lost his reelection bid in 2016. In 2018, after the city’s shift to district elections, he won the District 2 representative seat, holding that until he stepped down in 2021.
Brandman was Anaheim’s first openly gay council member, something he revealed publicly in 2015. A few years later he got the support of council colleagues to launch the city’s tradition of raising the rainbow Pride flag during the month of June – it goes up on Harvey Milk Day May 22.
Brandman resigned in 2021 amid pressure from other councilmembers and the community following the revelation of offensive comments he texted the year before to someone about then Councilwoman Denise Barnes. Following the publishing of the texts on The Orange Juice Blog, Brandman apologized during council meetings saying he was “ashamed” and hoped to win back people’s trust. A recall campaign was also underway.
When interviewed about the texts, Brandman said he was not proud of the messages, adding “I wish I had chosen a more thoughtful way to express that in a private conversation.” He also said for several months he had been dealing with health and personal issues and had taken a break from most of his council duties and was doing better.
Murray said she first worked with Brandman at the Orange County Business Council in the mid 2000s, and said her first impressions of him were that “he was just the most joyful person, full of so much energy … that’s what breaks my heart.”
Murray said his actions the last few years were not a reflection of who he was and that he was sick and people were trying to help.
“He had very real mental health challenges that prevented him from doing what he loved,” Murray said. “I hope people remember the person who just wanted to serve.”
Brandman had recently moved out of a West Anaheim apartment to the Platinum Triangle and had been doing better, said Buena Park Councilmember Connor Traut, a close friend. Traut said he and his wife were planning a surprise visit to Brandman’s place on Saturday night to give him a gift.
“The fact he was getting help, things were on the up and up for him,” Traut said.
Since Brandman resigned, Traut said he had been making amends with people he felt he made mistakes with. When people reached out to Brandman via voicemail or text, those messages would give him motivation, Traut said.
Brandman’s most fulfilling years were on the Anaheim Union High School District board, Traut said. “He cared a lot about the education of children,” Traut said. “Those were the happiest moments in his life.”
Brandman worked on education issues while with the Orange County Business Council. His boss there at the time, Todd Priest, who works as a lobbyist in Orange County, said he was shocked and sad to learn about Brandman’s death.
“He was bright, smart and very interested in politics,” Priest said. “It really was his life. He was always eager to help and wanting to be engaged, and he really enjoyed campaigning. He loved walking door-to-door in his neighborhood and attending as many community events as he could.”
Former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle was Brandman’s professor at UC Irvine, and Brandman took his first classes on California politics in 1999 and 2000.
Pringle, who was a friend and mentor to Brandman, said he was a moderate democrat that understood the balance of politics. Pringle said Brandman saw that he could serve his community through government.
“It’s very sad,” Pringle said. “He’s a guy that always wanted to be seen for his talent, his skill, his passion.”