BY AMELIA BISCARDI
Daily Post Staff Writer
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus wasn’t able yesterday (Tuesday, Dec. 3) to get the county supervisors to back off a ballot measure that asks voters to give supervisors the power to remove her.
Two attorneys representing Corpus, Christopher Ulrich and Thomas Mazzucco, showed up at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting and asked the board to give them more time to review the claims of retaliation and abuses of power made in a report written by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell that was commissioned by the board.
The county is not paying Corpus’ attorneys, according to County Attorney John Nibbelin.
Corpus had sent a letter to the board on Monday night, saying Cordell’s report had “no semblance of due process, open and transparent actions or an opportunity for the public to weigh in.”
However, Corpus turned down Cordell’s invitation to respond to the allegations.
The board voted 3-0 Tuesday to invite Corpus to come with her attorneys and provide sworn testimony at the Dec. 10 board meeting to give her version of events. Supervisor Noelia Corzo abstained from the vote. David Canepa was absent.
“I’m again extremely concerned that even under oath, our sheriff will use this platform to continue to lie,” Corzo said.
Corzo and Mueller, who introduced the ballot measure, said that the removal of a sheriff would only be with “cause,” which they defined as a neglect of duties, obstruction of investigations, violation of laws related to their duties and misappropriation of public funds.
Supervisors voted 4-0, with Canepa absent, to put the matter on the March 4 ballot. The board has until Dec. 11 to pull the measure.
Nibbelin warned that the two sides in the recall campaign cannot use any type of government resources, including newsletters and letterheads.
Using county letterheads and mailing privileges has been a problem in San Mateo County. Three years ago Jose Nunez, a vice chancellor in the San Mateo County Community College District, was indicted for using college district resources to campaign for a member of the district’s board and to support a statewide proposition. He copped a plea to the charges but won’t be sentenced until he testifies against former college chancellor Ron Galatolo, who is facing charges including bribery.
Corpus launched a newsletter on Nov. 25, two years after she became sheriff. In a press release announcing the newsletter, Corpus states: “At the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, we believe transparency and information sharing are essential pieces for building trust within our communities and improving public safety.”
Tuesday’s meeting came after two of the sheriff’s unions alleged in a state filing that Corpus’ former chief of staff Victor Aenlle attempted to intimidate them.
The unions representing deputies and sergeants have been critical of Aenlle and Corpus over mandatory overtime policies and what the unions claim are anti-union actions by Aenlle. He denies the allegations.
The unions said they received a letter Oct. 4 from Los Angeles attorney Deborah Drooz, demanding they “retract their falsehoods” or face a lawsuit. The letter caused union officials to believe they couldn’t effectively tell union members about what was going on in the sheriff’s office. The unions filed with the state Public Employment Relations Board, which arbitrates disputes between government agencies and their unions.
This allegation against Aenlle is added alongside another complaint on Aug. 30 that focused on a then-new overtime policy the unions allege did not include them before implementation.
Corpus has repeatedly refused calls for her resignation that have come from the board and local, state and federal leaders such as U.S. Reps. Kevin Mullin and Anna Eshoo, state Sen. Josh Becker, and Assembly members Marc Berman and Diane Papan.
San Carlos City Council has also held a vote of no confidence. The sheriff’s office is that town’s police force.
Since Corpus took office in 2023, more than 100 sworn employees have left the sheriff’s office and she was the subject of votes of no confidence from the unions representing her department’s deputies, sergeants and lieutenants. Her term is up in 2028.
Interesting how the BOS and the County Attorney acknowledge this will most likely not stand up to legal scrutiny, but they are willing to spend over two million dollars for a special election.
The BOS unfortunately has limited options. They have a responsibility to do something based on the unfathomable and dangerous behavior from the Sheriff and tyrant Mr. Aenlle. Perhaps the BOS are applying pressure so the Sheriff, in hopes if she had any morals would step down rather then cost the taxpayers millions.
I believe the voters should have a say in this and we will via the charter. Based on Corpus mental state, we can’t wait.
It’s a start and a loud cry for help. This is not a power grab, they clearly don’t want to be in this position. Get help Corpus and do the right thing.