San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus faces ballot measure to oust her after supes vote
The future of San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus will once again be in the hands of voters after the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a charter amendment ballot measure authorizing supervisors to remove an elected sheriff for cause.
The resolution approved shortly before noon Tuesday will trigger a special election in March on the amendment that, if approved by voters, would allow the board to fire Corpus, a power supervisors currently don't have.
The board voted 4-0 with Supervisor David Canepa was not present for the vote. Supervisors also passed a second resolution inviting Corpus to provide sworn testimony to the board at their next meeting on December 10.
"There are allegations here in the complaint," said Supervisor Ray Mueller. "Tell us in your own words what happened under sworn testimony before us on the 10th, before we decide to move forward."
Supervisor Noella Corza abstained from the vote to invite the sheriff to testify under oath.
"I personally abstained on that vote because I have no confidence that she will be truthful even under sworn testimony at this point," said Corza.
Attorneys for Corpus had asked the board to delay Tuesday's vote on the charter amendment, the second unanimous vote by supervisors authorizing the measure following last month's initial vote.
The embattled Corpus has been facing calls to resign following multiple allegations of misconduct. An independent report by retired California Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell accuses Corpus of bullying, using racist and homophobic slurs, conflicts of interest, and having a personal relationship with her chief of staff, Victor Aenile.
On Tuesday, Corzo cited the sheriff's previous appearance before the board, when she declared plans to promote Aenile, the man at the very center of the allegations of abuse of power.
"She tried to promote Victor Aenlle to a position he's not qualified for, right in these chambers," said Corzo. "If those are not political theatrics, I don't know what is."
Corpus has denied any wrongdoing and has argued her critics should pursue a recall, saying an amendment is a "blatant attempt to go around the voters." A recall would require the collection of 45,000 signatures. Supervisors have said the March vote would cost the county millions.
Last month, Corpus appeared before the board and blasted calls from the supervisors to resign, calling the inquiry against her "politically motivated and one-sided." She has also announced plans to move her office forward with a restructured leadership team.
"Resigning from my position or relinquishing the independence of this Office is not the answer," said Corpus in a statement issued last week. "Such actions would set a dangerous precedent, jeopardizing the progress we've made and the meaningful change our voters entrusted me to deliver."
Corpus released the statement a day after the San Carlos City Council joined the growing calls for her to step down, approving a no-confidence vote. The vote came nearly two weeks after the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors also issued a similar no-confidence vote against Corpus.
Corpus has called the move to place the charter amendment on the ballot "anti-democratic."
"It is a mean-spirited political scheme," Corpus said in a prepared statement last month. "This charter amendment with sunset language that only applies to me is an effort to go around the voters to try to unseat me. I will fight it tooth and nail. I am not going anywhere."
The special election is scheduled to take place on March 4, 2025.
Wilson Walker contributed to this story.
