San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus today (July 24) flip-flopped and agreed to an open hearing in which she will appeal her firing by the Board of Supervisors.
Previously, Corpus had wanted the hearing closed, and the county went along with her request. But then the First Amendment Coalition, a group that advocates for open government, said it would sue if the hearing wasn’t opened to the public. The county said it wouldn’t defend the suit, which would have left it to Corpus and her lawyers to convince a court that the hearing should be closed.
The First Amendment Coalition had given the county and Corpus until Wednesday at 5 p.m. to decide whether to open the hearing or go to court. Today at 4:24 p.m. Corpus emailed a letter to the county and others involved in the case saying she will agree to an open hearing.
The hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18-29.
Previously, Corpus had argued through her attorneys that she had the right to a private hearing under the Peace Officer Bill of Rights, a set of state laws that give police certain rights in disciplinary and criminal proceedings.
But the First Amendment Coalition said those police-officer privacy protections do not apply to Corpus because she’s an elected official.
In her letter, Corpus said nothing about the First Amendment Coalition’s threatened lawsuit, or the legal basis for opening the hearing.
“Until now, Sheriff Corpus has refrained from fully responding to her accusers out of respect for employee privacy and a desire to maintain the integrity of internal processes,” her letter said. “But the time has come to bring the truth to light.”
But if the First Amendment Coalition had prevailed, Corpus and the county would have to hold a public hearing to explain why the termination hearing should be closed. Her arguments for secrecy would be put on display in such a hearing. And it’s likely that at such a hearing, the county wouldn’t assist Corpus since it has previously said it supported a public hearing.
The Board of Supervisors has voted to fire her on allegations detailed in two reports by outside investigators. Those investigators said she was engaged in nepotism, retaliation, intimidation, conflicts of interest, ordering a false arrest and making racial and homophobic slurs.
Corpus asked for a hearing to appeal the supervisors’ decision, but her lawyers insisted that it be closed to the public. Today, she flip-flopped on that position.
In addition to the attempt by the supervisors to remove Corpus, the county civil grand jury has approved four “accusations” against her, which set the stage for a trial. If she is convicted of the accusations, she will be removed from office and barred from ever serving in public office again.
This is awesome. Huge mistake on her part, but everyone will be able to see her B.S. on full display. Lies, lies and more lies…and a whole lot of fake tears. Don’t be surprised if she changes her mind before the hearing and asks for it to be closed. Can’t wait to see this train wreck in motion!!
Absolutely, and stop the rest of them I say. Why are we under Spanish woman at work anyways. I was born and raised in Bakersfield area, I am under the same inhuman acts by the Spanish woman who has migrated here. Where do we get help from?
Can’t wait till the fuzz bumper and n word drops from Corpus’ cellular phone (undisputed evidence). Speaking of bumping… bumping into Victor on a flight to Maui like there’s ever empty seats on that flight. Coincidence, absolutely not! Then the story goes Victor was helping her watch her kids, then the story goes Victor was providing security for her like she is Imelda Marcos. GTFOH! Corpus is going to get destroyed in court. Grab your popcorn!
Now she can finally respond – publicly, and under Oath. The truth will bring her down, and her lies will result in perjury charges. The walls are closing in. The theatrical value of a public proceeding is potentially off the charts…
The two, or three, most interesting aspects of the Corpus letter in my view include that it is unsigned and undated. Although since Corpus emailed the letter to the recipients, the letter certainly appears to indeed be her newly adopted position.
The letter, curiously, appears to be on Corpus’ campaign letterhead, not the official SMCSO letterhead, nor a personal letter head. Of course interesting about the campaign letterhead is that Aenlle was her campaign manager, he would arguably have access to the letterhead and is known to have ghost written many of her communications.
Finally is the implication that since the County and County Attorney, along with prior Judicial Rulings, are that POBR does not apply to the elected sheriff, coupled with the county position of declining to contest a FAC lawsuit potentially leaves the burden of Corpus’ Counsel squarely as her responsibility. Understanding there is no lawful, binding reason that Corpus could keep the Removal Hearing private; she would lose the FAC litigation if filed. So the decision comes as no surprise.
Additionally, that obvious chance that Corpus would have to personally bear the cost of her own attorneys to fight the impending FAC litigation, is an obvious weak point in any of her positions. Corpus had no other attorneys until she fully understood the laws that provide her with an opportunity for separate county funded counsel. Corpus has shown before that she is fiscally irresponsible, or ignorant, or both. Perhaps the weight of punitive litigation carries influential weight in Corpus’ decision making. Whichever the case may be, thank you to the Corpus crew for making the “right” of correct decision to flip flop your decision. Remember not to defame anyone as you testify and hopefully a handle will be kept on Tip’s leading questions throughout all testimony given.
The only remaining questions are what is the Removal Hearing venue? Will it be the Board Chambers? Will the Removal Hearing proceedings be live streamed? It would seem the Board Chambers are ready made for such a purpose. Let’s get this Removal Hearing show on the road!
The Measure A trial that she has a federal law suit on? Corpus probably doesn’t think she will be testifying at all and that her attempts to stop Measure A will be successful….
Hopefully, the 90,000 voters and certified county ordinance will soon be verified in court as valid and the hearings go on. Enough with these delay legal tactics- get this over with.
What has she said as a defense?
I didn’t do it, wasn’t me, nah uh.
I am latina and female and everyone else before me did shady things.
These investigations are a witch hunt.
Dealing with gangs in the Sheriff department.
The County manager is a Godfather.
This is a political theatre.
I wasn’t a part of that at all. Ok, is this your email?- um um um no that’s made up.
Only I can talk badly about people publicly everyone else is biased and part of a group of corrupt people who don’t like reform. What reform are you talking about? Vacationing with your special friend Victor on the county dime to conferences and attending the history of slavery conferences. $75,000 conference tables, ice cream machines and massage chairs?
Crime is down, but you just said it’s up a week ago? You didn’t make up the number right?
Only 24% voted for Measure A, I am here for the voters that voted me in. (even though these same voters no longer support her)
Seriously? That’s convincing vs respected personal testimony, emails, phone records, videos. Time is up for this charade of lies. The web of deceit is being torn down.
Likely, Corpus is saying this because she doesn’t think it will ever happen with her lawyers games of delaying, appealing, suing. Wasn’t me doesn’t really work in the long run. Resign and save some dignity for your family to respect Corpus. You are mentally unhealthy and unfit to make peace in this county. You have destroyed millions of dollars and ruined defamed multiple people. You violated so many civil rights it’s disgusting.
Sheriff Corpus, in her press release, would have us believe that she changed her position because she’s all about transparency. That’s one narrative; some may accept that. {cough}
A different narrative is that Corpus changed her mind when County Attorney Nibbelin said the county would not defend First Amendment Coalition’s impending lawsuit to force an open Removal Hearing — because that means she’d need to spend her own money defending her position in that matter, and to date has litigated only when she can forward all legal bills to us county taxpayers.
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for…
It’s fire, it’s freedom, it’s flooding open.
With all that you know so far, tell me do you wanna go?
Where impossible will come true, it’ll take over you
Oh, this will be the greatest show!
Where do I rsvp for a ticket to what will be deemed the greatest show since P.T. Barnum?
Oh WOW!!! Just when you think she cannot possibly be that stupid!!! Here we go!!! All her lies will be outed with PROOF! She will be completely unable to keep her stories straight because she had told so many lies she cannot possibly remember what she said and when! She will flounder and make the usual fool of her self! Her laughable second rate lawyers cannot save her now!!! This is tooo good!!!!!!! She forgets…every one of her complete lies will be blown out of the water with this pesky little word…evidence. Bye Bye Victina
Do you think ABC’s Dan Noyes will be the “play-by-play announcer?”
Where is the decertification investigation from POST?
Brady list candidate?
Asking for a friend.
Anyone see the ACLU is trying to sue over police misconduct in Vallejo? Where is the ACLU in San Mateo?
A lot of organizations seem like they should be stepping in to help this situation end. It’s time for someone with power and authority to step in and save the day…
Next step is getting someone that is trusted to work together to fix this. Someone good with the media. Someone who doesn’t just talk a good talk and then do nothing once they get a title and badge. Someone who isn’t just politicking to advance themselves selfishly for a paycheck. Someone who is willing to work with everyone and doesn’t already have favorites. Someone who isn’t already excluding people and choosing to ignore people who need help, ignoring respected personnel because of their own agenda.
The slimy untrustworthy people have already approached the unions- beware of these outsiders they have severe skeletons in their closets. Some who are unethical with personal choices and some who are “not so distant past” friends with Aenlle. The county needs more than just a woman or just person of color- the county needs someone who really genuinely cares .
Obviously, this is not Corpus… when she leaves – make a smart choice for once.
There is much more that will come out at this hearing, revelations that will leave everyone speechless.
I wonder will the little doctor, Perea, Enriquez, and Manjit be there everyday at the hearing trying their best to intimidate the witnesses.
Makes me sad, although it seems clear the Sheriff has made serious mistakes to see you all take such pleasure in being so mean spirited and judgmental. Sad that this display is the kind of rhetoric is evidence of a civic society in decline. Compassion and right action are not mutually exclusive.
What makes me sad is that the Sheriff refuses to take accountability or resign after being presented with 3 independent investigations proving wrongdoing. It makes me sad 8 City council asked her to resign. It makes me sad she has ignored the board of supervisors snd defamed them and the county manager and a ballot measure had to benplced on the ballot to vole- 90,000 people asked doe Sheriff Corpus to resign.
The Sheriff deputy’s and Captains asked the Sheriff to resign. In the thick of retaliation and corruption people want justice for the defiant, mentally ill Sheriff. The same sheriff that keeps terrorizing the Sheriff department personnel. Beyond sad now, we are infuriated noone can fire the sheriff over these wrongdoings and that the Attorney General, governor, FBI, department of Justice,POST ANYONE can’t just stop this situation.
We all watch the irrational behavior. The retaliation. The public display of dishonest words spoken out of her mouth. It is time to take away the badge that Sheriff Corpus hides behind. An honest person would just show up to court and stop these legal games and stall tactics. She KNOWS Measure A is 100% legally certified and that San Mateo County is a charter county. A Charter County that voters asked the Board to remove the Sheriff over wrongdoing- after the millions to put the measure on the ballot, the millions to pay for 2”3 investigations and now millions to pay for lawyers and time wasted going to court knly to have her delay hearings and retaliate against her people over social media propaganda. Corpus is sick.
Anyone who says society is un compassionate is obviously now living 24/7 working in this environment faced with this situation daily for the past couple of years All of the support Corpus had had eroded, rightfully so that she has escalated this situation so dramatically and is demonstrating just how corrupt a Sheriff can be and noone can touch her. When Corpus finally goes down, we hope all of the wrongdoing is punished and criminal charges are attached. This situation is not going unpunished.
Resign Corpus! You are busted.
Civility ? We are human . The Sheriff and her cronies have retaliated , intimidated and created an extremely toxic workplace. Taxpayers are paying a fortune .
It is difficult to remain civil when you see your fellow deputies suffer. Our sick “leader” remains defiant and refuses to acknowledge her wrongdoing and step down. People are fed up.
I was left speechless when I heard Christy had hired her boyfriend as Chief Of Staff. This entire debacle has left us speechless, I doubt anything can shock us at those point.