By denying the motion, the judge agreed with the City's attorneys that a gag order would violate the First Amendment by depriving public officials their right to respond to public inquiries concerning the case.

The gag order would have prevented the City of Anaheim and Angels Baseball, L.P. (ABLP) from making public comments concerning the case prior to jury selection on January 9.  The City of Anaheim is suing Angels Baseball, L.P. for breach of contract and violation of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The team is in the middle of a 33-year lease agreement with the City to play their home games in the City-owned stadium.

In its statement, the City argued that "Even prior to the inception of this case, ABLP engaged in a media-based marketing effort to sell its position to the public and to erode public support for the City's expenditure of funds to protect its interests through the litigation. As a major league sports team, ABLP has unique access to the media and has the ability to exploit this access ..."

Attorneys for the City, Mike Rubin and Andy Guilford, submitted papers to Judge Polos  pointing out that City representatives have been questioned about Mr. Moreno's public statements in a recent newspaper article, where Mr. Moreno was quoted: "They're doing everything they can to run us out of town." The City's papers state that it is appropriate for City officials to respond by pointing out, among other things:

* "The team is under a long-term lease with Anaheim and is required to play its home games at the Stadium in Anaheim through at least the end of the 2016 baseball season.  Even to terminate the lease after the 2016 baseball season, instead of after the full term of the lease in 2029, the team would have to pay a substantial early termination buy out penalty to Anaheim.

* "The best way to assure that the team will stay in Anaheim and Orange County even after 2016 is for Anaheim to successfully preserve its rights to have the team affiliated with Anaheim (rather than affiliated with Los Angeles)  through the team name so that Anaheim has the benefit of exposure and recognition this brings.

* "Only by doing so will Anaheim have sufficient incentive to do make the economic concessions to keep the team in Anaheim after 2016.  The City was unwilling to make the economic concessions necessary to keep the Los Angeles Rams in Anaheim in the early 1990's, largely because this team with another City's name did not engender the loyalty or the economic return to justify the necessary concessions."

* Having the team identified and associated with Anaheim and Orange County for the next 11 years decreases the likelihood that the team's ownership will consider moving the franchise in 2017, and after more than five decades (1966-2017) of community loyalty and support.  Every year that the team is successfully identified with Anaheim increases the chances the team will remain in their present location indefinitely.

To view the full statement or to obtain additional information about the case, visit www.savetheanaheimangels.com.

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ABOUT ANAHEIM - The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is California's 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 3,200 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.4 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winning U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, and the 2008 Olympic Silver Medal winning U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.