Embattled San Mateo County sheriff ousted by Board of Supervisors

(CN) — The San Mateo Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus from office Tuesday, following more than a yearlong effort investigating accusations of nepotism and retaliation against the sheriff.

The board voted 5-0 to approve a resolution finding four causes to remove Corpus: a conflict of interest related to her close personal relationship with her chief of staff Victor Aenlle, retaliation and arrest of Deputy Sheriff’s Association President Carlos Tapia without probable cause and retaliation against Captain Brian Philip.

“Removing an elected official is never easy, but allowing this conduct to continue unchecked would do this organization greater harm. So for the integrity of the sheriff’s office, for the protection of our employees and for the trust of the public, I support the resolution before us today to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus from office,” Board President David Canepa said Tuesday.

The vote to remove Corpus from her position is final and effective immediately. Undersheriff Dan Pera will temporarily take over the duties of sheriff until the board fills the vacancy or calls for a special election, which is required within 30 days.

District 2 Supervisor Noelia Corzo said that the removal process was based on “fair procedures and evidence,” and that Corpus had “more than enough time and opportunity to speak their piece.”

“What they have been unable to provide is anything beyond empty words. They have only continued delaying, deflecting and denying … To everyone who has been harmed, please know my heart goes out to you,” she said.

Corpus has repeatedly denied the accusations against her and called the effort to oust her “political retribution.”

“When they couldn’t control me, they decided to destroy me. This is not justice. It’s political retribution. This board, the county executive, and the county attorney have become judge, jury and executioner, based on a deeply, deeply flawed hearsay-built report that could never survive a day in court,” she said at Tuesday’s hearing.

Corpus’ lawyers had the opportunity to address the board before the removal vote, saying that Corpus had “a target on her back since the day she was elected” and faced “sabotage, unprecedented interference, gang insubordination, and interference.”

“In my career, I have never seen such a political hack job,” Thomas P. Mazzucco of Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney, said. “I truly feel deep in my heart that some of the members of the political insiders in this county have a hard time having a Hispanic woman run this department.”

Corpus was elected in 2022 as the first woman and first Latina to serve as sheriff in San Mateo County.**** The lengthy investigation process into her time as sheriff began September 2024 when the board announced an investigation into the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office.

A month later, the board unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Corpus following a report by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell, which concluded that she had a romantic relationship with Aenlle, her chief of staff, and that the arrangement created a conflict of interest.

In March, San Mateo voters approved a charter amendment allowing the board to remove an elected sheriff by a four-fifths vote. The board voted unanimously in June to accept a recommendation to proceed with removing Corpus.

In August, Corpus had a chance to defend herself during a removal appeal hearing. The 10-day hearing, presided over by retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Emerson, found multiple causes to remove Corpus from office.

Emerson concluded in an Oct. 6 advisory opinion that Corpus engaged in conflicts of interest and retaliation, including hiring Aenlle, with whom she had a “close personal relationship,” in positions for which he was not qualified, ordering the arrest of the deputy sheriffs’ union president without probable cause and retaliating against a captain who refused to participate in what be believed was unlawful activity.

Corpus has publicly lambasted the removal process established under the county charter and filed a lawsuit to stop the removal effort in June, arguing that the procedures don’t meet constitutional standards for due process and violate multiple federal protections.

In August, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, a Barack Obama appointee, ruled that he was “skeptical” she would be able to succeed on her claims that the removal process violates her constitutional rights.

Chhabria also denied an emergency request filed Sunday to block the vote to remove Corpus.

Another attorney for Corpus, Tom Perez of Mayer Brown, said in an interview that it was “no surprise” that the supervisors voted to remove Corpus. Perez added that Corpus is weighing state and federal court options.

“We need to get out of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors process, which was just completely defective on every level, and get into court,” he said.

County Attorney John Nibbelin said that Corpus intends to challenge the decision to remove her in court, but said any process would be in her personal capacity and not as sheriff.

In addition to the charter-based process, Corpus is also facing a separate removal effort initiated by the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury. That case, which will proceed in court with a jury trial, includes four counts claiming conflict of interest, retaliation and abuse of authority. Corpus has formally denied the accusations.

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