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There's an incredible scandal brewing at the Orange County Fairgrounds and Attorney General Jerry Brown better get on top of this before it blows up in his face. The deal to sell the fairgrounds has stunk, and the Attorney General's office is right in the middle of the muck.
The Fairgrounds is run by an obscure state agency, the 32nd Agricultural District, and their legal representation comes from the Attorney General's office. Unfortunately, the current functionary has completely failed to protect the interests of the people of the State of California. The Fair Board, political appointeees of the Governator, have gone far beyond violating open meeting laws, and instead have used public funds in a conspiracy that approaches racketeering.
Here's how the story unfolds.
The Board of Directors of the Orange County Fair Grounds are as arrogant and clueless a bunch of Yacht Party Republicans as you would find anywhere. Their appointments were political plums for big campaign contributors. Until public scrutiny ended the practice, each of them was receiving tens of thousands of dollars a year in front-row concert tickets complete with catered meals at the Pacific Amphitheatre summer concert series.
This proposal authorizes DGS to sell all or any
portion of the Orange County Fairgrounds pursuant to a public bidding process that is designed to obtain the highest and most certain return for the state.
Ain't goin' to a non-profit for some paltry sum.
Get your fix of chocolate covered bacon and deep-fried twinkies now before you have to go to Delmar or Pomona for you summer artery clogging snacks.
Update
The actual bill is now available, and the state exempts itself from doing an EIR on disposition of the property, but requires the buyer to conduct an EIR in compliance with local zoning.
