Chrisos sent a letter to the attorney general, dated Oct. 30, which asked for an investigation into the fair board’s activities. According to his letter, these included meeting privately without notifying the public, as well as negotiating a contract with former State Sen. Dick Ackerman to lobby on the board’s behalf in Sacramento to have the state-owned fairgrounds in Costa Mesa put up for sale.
Ackerman has said that his work in Sacramento on the board’s behalf led to the fairgrounds’ inclusion in the state budget and to the State Assembly’s vote in July to authorize its sale.
In his response to the letter from Chrisos, which was dated Nov. 13, Gary Schons, senior assistant attorney general, wrote that it would be “inappropriate” for his office to launch a criminal investigation since the attorney general’s office represents the fairgrounds’ board of directors.
Schons then suggested that Chrisos file his complaint with the county district attorney.
The county counsel’s office has yet to take any more action, said Brooke De Baca, county public information officer.
“It’s too soon to share any future plans since we just received the attorney general’s response on Monday the 16th,” she said.
The fair board’s six members formed a nonprofit organization, the Orange County Fair and Event Center Foundation, to raise funds to buy the 150-acre property. Those same six trustees serve a duplicate role as the foundation’s board of directors.
