David McCuan on how California's county fairs became corruption hotbeds episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 29, 2026 · 33 MIN

David McCuan on how California's county fairs became corruption hotbeds

from California Sun Podcast · host Jeff Schechtman

David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University, discusses the findings of a recent Los Angeles Times exposé that showed how California's beloved county fairs, which generate $400 million annually, have become hotbeds of corruption where bookkeepers steal, officials rig bids, and governor-appointed boards feast on lobster and cabernet. With governance structures frozen since the 1880s and no state audits for years, one-third of these fairs are now plagued by fraud — even as they've become critical staging grounds for disaster response worth tens of millions in real estate.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 29, 2026

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