A taxpayer funded investigation into Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee has concluded with the city official cleared of any wrongdoing tied to a recent comedy event.
A $50,000 probe commissioned by the Stockton City Council found no evidence that Lee abused his power or misused city funds in connection with bringing Wild ’N Out to the city.
The live comedy show, created and hosted by Nick Cannon, was held in Stockton on May 24, 2025. Months later, Lee faced accusations that he improperly influenced city staff and used public resources to benefit the event.
Lee previously defended his role, saying Cannon and the production came to Stockton “as a favor to me” to highlight the city’s potential.
Back in December, Mayor Christina Fugazi pushed to expand the investigation, which ultimately passed in a narrow council vote. The independent law firm Hanson Bridgette LLP led the inquiry and released its findings on Friday.
According to the report, Lee did not violate state law, city rules, or ethics standards and held no improper financial interest. The firm noted that while legal standards were met, public officials are sometimes expected to exceed them.
After the findings were released, Lee criticized the investigation’s cost, saying taxpayers should feel “extremely embarrassed” it took $50,000 to confirm his innocence. The council is expected to discuss the report at its Jan. 12 meeting.