REDWOOD CITY, CA – Embattled San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus has refused to step down even after voters overwhelmingly approved Measure A, a historic charter amendment granting the county’s Board of Supervisors the authority to remove her from office, according to reporting from Brian Krans at KQED.
Election night results indicated more than 85 percent of voters supported Measure A, signaling widespread public support for removing Corpus from her position, and if the board ultimately votes in favor of her removal, it would be the first instance of an elected sheriff being ousted by a county board in California history, reported KQED.
Corpus acknowledged the passage of Measure A in a statement reported by KQED but maintained her stance, asserting that she is entitled to “a public evidentiary hearing before a neutral and unbiased body.”
KQED wrote the sheriff expressed confidence that she will “be vindicated through a legitimate process,” emphasizing her 23 years of public service and calling her record “pristine.”
According to the union representing San Mateo County deputies, cited by KQED, the vote reflected the community’s desire for swift action to address turmoil within the sheriff’s office.
Union Secretary Eliot Storch described the measure as “an expedited recall,” stating, “Sheriff Corpus’ unprecedented corruption and her contempt for the guardrails of accountability forced the community’s hand. Today’s vote was simply democracy in action.”
The official certification of Measure A is scheduled for April 3, KQED reported, noting the Board of Supervisors would then need a four-fifths vote to proceed with Corpus’ removal.
Given that four of the five current supervisors publicly endorsed the measure, KQED explained, her removal appears likely, and Supervisors Ray Mueller and Noelia Corzo, who spearheaded efforts to put Measure A on the ballot, assured the public the county will follow a clear, lawful process.
The effort to remove Corpus stems from allegations of abuse of power, particularly regarding her appointment of former campaign staffer and alleged romantic partner Victor Aenlle to a top administrative role in the sheriff’s office, KQED reported.
A third-party independent report released in November concluded Corpus and Aenlle led the department with “lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuses of authority,” according to KQED, noting the report added “nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized.”
KQED states among the incidents cited in the report was an alleged act of retaliation against Carlos Tapia, the deputies’ union president and outspoken critic of Corpus. Tapia was accused of time-card fraud, but District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe dismissed the claims, finding no evidence of wrongdoing, KQED noted.
Additionally, Captain Brian Philip, who was instructed to arrest Tapia, resigned in protest and later filed a lawsuit against Corpus and the county, describing the sheriff’s office as plagued by retaliatory actions against dissenting employees, reports KQED. More than 100 sworn officers have reportedly resigned under Corpus’ leadership, as detailed in the KQED report.
KQED explains Measure A’s passage follows months of public outcry, including endorsements from local, state, and national political leaders, as well as nearly every city government within San Mateo County.
The county’s Democratic Party also backed the measure, along with the deputies’ union, which formed a political committee to advocate for Corpus’ removal, reported by KQED.
Despite Corpus’ legal challenge against Measure A, a judge ruled last week the election would proceed as county officials followed the proper protocol, according to KQED.
The financial support for the measure, however, remained minimal, with the “Recall Sheriff Corpus” campaign raising only $2,000, while the campaign against Measure A raised nearly $2,500, primarily from Corpus herself, according to financial records cited by KQED.
The latest results show that of the more than 92,000 votes counted, 85.2 percent were in favor of Measure A, KQED reported. With nearly 445,000 registered voters in San Mateo County, turnout was low for the special election, which contained only the one measure on the ballot, KQED noted.
If the Board of Supervisors follows through with Corpus’ removal, it will mark a significant precedent in California’s political history, solidifying Measure A as a groundbreaking tool for holding elected law enforcement officials accountable, reported KQED.
