The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Thursday will vote on whether to begin proceedings to fire Sheriff Christina Corpus, who is accused of nepotism, retaliation, intimidation, deception and other forms of misconduct.
This morning (June 2), County Attorney John Nibbelin sent an email to Corpus’ attorney, Thomas Mazzucco, to let him know that the board may begin the process to remove the sheriff from office with the release of a report by the law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters. The law firm was hired by the county. The 59-page report, which has not yet been made public, allegedly supports Corpus’ removal by alleging that she:
• Broke the law related to her performance of sheriff’s duties,
• Flagrantly and repeatedly neglected of the duties of sheriff,
• And obstructed of an investigation into her conduct.
The report has not been released. It is possible it will be released on Thursday, which is the deadline Nibbelin gave Corpus’ attorneys to object to the release of the report.
On March 4, more than 90,000 San Mateo County voters approved Measure A, which amended the county charter to give the Board of Supervisors authority to remove a sheriff.
However, the board did not set any rules for the proceedings prior to the election. After Measure A was approved, county officials have been hammering out what the proceedings would look like. The board approved the procedures at its May 6 meeting. Aside from Supervisor Ray Mueller, who on May 22 urged his colleagues on the board to kick things into gear, there has been few signs the removal process was underway.
Under the proceedings approved by the board, if four of the five supervisors approve a Notice of Intent to remove Corpus, a pre-removal conference must occur within five days of Corpus receiving the notice.
Chief Probation Officer John Keene is set to preside over the pre-removal conference, which is similar to a Skelly hearing, a proceeding required before a public employee is fired.
After the hearing, Keene would make a written recommendation, and the board would decide whether to proceed with firing Corpus.
If the board, in a four-fifths vote, approves Corpus’ ouster, she can ask for a hearing, which would be overseen by a third party who is selected by both sides. As part of the hearings, the two sides will go through the discovery process and witnesses can give sworn testimony.
The third party would then form a recommendation that the board would review and then vote on; with a four-fifths vote, it would conclude Corpus’s removal.
Nibbelin, in a report to the supervisors, estimates that the final hearing will occur in August.
Corpus’ attorneys have not responded to a request for comment from the Post.
Mazzucco said previously during public comment at supervisors meetings that this process is already unfair as two supervisors have already made it clear how they will vote, referring to Supervisors Mueller and Noelia Corzo’s comments they made at press conferences related to a 400-page report the county commissioned from retired Santa Clara County Judge LaDoris Cordell.
Cordell’s report kicked off the lengthy journey to remove Corpus. Cordell’s report alleged that Corpus and her former chief of staff Victor Aenlle engaged in retaliation and intimidation of employees, and had conflicts of interest. The report said Corpus made racist and homophobic slurs.
The Cordell report also alleged Corpus and Aenlle have been romantically involved, which both have denied.
Meanwhile, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe has a team who has been looking into allegations made in the Cordell report and a follow-up report related to allegations of sexism and racism that Corpus levied at County Executive Mike Callagy. That report, conducted by the Oppenheimer Group, found that Callagy did not overstep his authority as county executive, or act untoward to the sheriff.
Wagstaffe confirmed on May 23 that he is no longer waiting for the board to fire Corpus and is moving forward with his case.
Just do it. Let the people of the Sheriff’s Office begin to heal and move forward from this extended period of stress and distraction.
Want to bet that Corpus will run to court to get an order stopping this whole process because of some technicality.
What if she is in Hawaii and can’t attend in 5 days in person.?
524 pages? A third “false and biased” report- now what Gage? Sue those witnesses ie whistleblowers for sharing experiences ? Ridiculous how bad she has become!
This cannot come soon enough. While the BOS sits around debating how and when to initiate the process, the Corpus corruption continues.
A promotional exam was recently held for deputies seeking to become sergeants. At the end of the process, a list is created based on overall ranking. Christy ended up promoting the deputies who ranked #2, 4, & 7. Not surprisingly, the #1 candidate was present at the press conference back when this mess all started, and candidate #3 is a current union board member. But candidate #4? His mom is close friends with Christy and #4 has remained loyal to her throughout this process.
More recently, Christy held a meeting with the detectives bureau and informed them, “Lexipol (the governing general orders for conduct) doesn’t apply to me because I am an elected official.”
Christy’s continued employment with the Sheriff’s Office comes at a steep price to taxpayers and, more importantly, the hardworking men and women who continue to do their jobs under the failed leadership of Corpus.
“Rules for thee but not for me” sums up Victina perfectly.
Sheriff Christy didn’t like the results of the testing process so she did her own interview panel without HR bring present. Hypothetically asking questions about loyalty, did you vote for Measure A, and isn’t Victor tall and handsome.
I can’t wait to read this latest report! It’s time for the Board of Supervisors to get moving! Every hour of every day, of every week, of every month that Corpus is in office, more potential financial liabilities accrue to County tax payers because of Corpus’ amateurish mis-management of the Sheriff’s Office and her blind loyalty that insidious little egomaniac Victor Aenlle, who continues to wield enormous power and influence over the agency despite the Board of Supervisors drumming him off of the Executive Team at the Sheriff’s Office. It’s GOT to stop! And I can’t WAIT for Steve Wagstaffe to start dropping indictments for the criminal activity that has occurred!
What I don’t understand is why did Victor and Christina do this to their families? Was it worth it? Clearly, Victor saw Christina as an easy mark and a way to get into a high position he would have never been considered for by any sane Sheriff. His unhealthy and disturbing obsession with the Sheriff’s Office was quickly revealed for all to see but ignored by Christina.
Christina went corrupt to please her BF and because she thought he would leave his wife for her. Clearly showing the voters of San Mateo County that her insecurity as a woman and her selfish needs come before decency and those she was elected to serve. These two selfish individuals ultimately became their own worst enemy. Hand in hand they have destroyed their reputations and deeply fractured their families. I hope it was worth it.
The public corruption in and about San Mateo County,interlinked to Santa Clara County has been going on since the 1990’s. Believe any and all investigations should be done by the SF FBI and SF US Attorney’s Office, backed by DOJ Civil Rights Division. Further, investigations are needed into the 12/2022 discovered secret Silicon Valley Bench-Bar-Media-Police Meetings that started about 1989- ended 4/2023. DA Steve Wagstaffe attended a BBMP meeting in 2016. It is time for Truth and Reconcillation v Continual Coverups of Constitutional and Human Rights Violations between both counties, CA State Bar, Commission on Judicial Performance, CA governors and AGs, and SFBA EO/POs.
A rambling diatribe with no supporting evidence.
Lisa, the Bench-Bar-Media dinners were hardly secret. Every reporter in the county knew about them and was invited to attend. The purpose was to educate. Judges would explain how they handled cases. Reporters would discuss how they’d choose their stories. Defense lawyers would talk about what they didn’t like in the clerk’s office, and so on. No conspiracies, just workers in the justice system talking about how they do their jobs. Lisa, before you make accusations, get your facts straight.
These posts about things that happened years ago to deter from current events need to stop. There are a lot of confidential things that happen in law enforcement, judicial systems etc. There are also laws people have to follow (EVERYONE has to follow) even and especially people that are currently serving as Sheriff- focus on that!
There are no hall passes when you are corrupt!
Quite certain whatever conspiracy theory, stories and such other ramblings you bring up about Wagstaff or Judges would have produced some sort of sustained complaint IF – here we go- IF there was or is an issue with the current DA or Judge. But guess what? Stories and rumors are just that. Fact and evidence are reality.
Perhaps, IF there is an issue with those county employees you mention, that is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE issue from Christina Corpus and has NOTHING to do with the Sheriff’s issues.
The reality is there are 3 independent investigations with 40 plus witnesses combined each of these reports- probably over 50 other people at this point. There are two independent law firms and a retired judge. If you actually think there is a conspiracy at this point and ALL of these law firms, all of these whistleblowers, sheriff employees and county employees are all lying and conspiring I think you “Lisa” need to seek professional help and start counseling or better yet medication.
This issue is so beyond proof without a doubt, there are SERIOUS legal issues being made public and my humble opinion is Christina Corpus should have stepped down and resigned months ago. Perhaps years. She has single handedly ruined her career, her own reputation, her family life, her friendships, her dignity- all on HER OWN. No one in their right frame of mind believes this “one Sheriff” who has been caught lying to the public, to employees to the county etc,etc,etc. The gig is up!
I bet Carlos Bolanos laughs out loud with every article he reads.
Corpus about to get the knock knock
Here’s a thought… Also look into all the individuals that enabled this Sheriff and her administration. The enablers must have known what they were doing is wrong. Example, all the frivolous and suspicious spending of the Sheriff’s Office that was processed by the fiscal department. Stacey Stevenson as the Director Maybe an audit?
So, let’s get this straight. The Corpus attorneys are arguing that the Sheriff can’t be held accountable for anything prior to when Measure A was implemented? April 19th? I guess the Sheriff didn’t know there were labor laws to follow before April 19, 2025?
And the other argument is that Ray Mueller and Noella Corzo don’t have the right to vote because they shared personal first hand information with the public that they don’t trust the Sheriff. So they should have hidden wrongdoings and they shouldn’t have the right to any freedom of speech or opinion.
They are looking for a loophole or technicality at this point to get the Sheriff off. But, does county corruption have an expiration date and now officials are only held accountable for acts on certain dates, or weekdays or non holiday? If the Sheriff says or does anything it has to be documented a certain way on certain dates by certain people and God forbid a Board of Supervisor witnesses anything because they are exempt from sharing wrongdoing. Is that the gist of this now?
I hope the Superior or Supreme Court tell the Sheriff to go back to the drawing board with this argument. What a bunch of horse poop.
Noone recused Muller and Corzo, just the Corpus attorneys thinking their opinions are legally binding when they say something. Who are these people wasting the tax payers money getting paid by the county. What a bunch of immoral people – in the end Corpus will be done and forced out. 90,000 people voted the votes were counted and certified. Resign or get fired Corpus.