BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
The San Mateo County Democratic Party has criticized former Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez for using a quote with the n-word and a racial slur toward Latinos while defending San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus.
“These quotes included cruel racial epithets that reinforce harmful stereotypes. Although he apologized, such language is deeply offensive and hurtful, especially when repeated in a public forum,” the county Democratic Party executive board said in a statement Friday.
Perez quoted something an officer allegedly told Corpus more than 25 years ago, trying to show the discrimination she has faced. “You know, I really miss the days when we could hog tie (n-word) and beat the s*** out of (slur for Latinos),” Perez told the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
There were audible gasps in the Redwood City meeting room. Supervisors’ and attendees’ eyes widened when Perez said the slurs, and he apologized for his language. But Perez said he believed it was important to say the slurs because that is what Corpus went through.
County Democrats said they condemn any language that has historical discrimination in their statement.
Perez, the former Labor Secretary under President Barack Obama, went before the San Mateo County Supervisors on Tuesday to request a fairer removal procedure instead of the Measure A hearing that is set to begin Monday (Aug. 18) and last for 10 days.
Perez is the newest lawyer to join Corpus’ legal team, as she has been rejected once again to stop the Measure A removal process.
The county is paying Corpus’ legal bills.
Corpus is currently facing removal from two fronts. The Board of Supervisors has voted to fire Corpus, and the sheriff will appeal the decision in a hearing on Monday. The supervisors are authorized to fire the sheriff under a charter change that was approved by voters in March known as Measure A.
Separately, the county civil grand jury has filed an accusation against Corpus that will lead to a trial. A conviction will result in her removal from office.
Corpus appeared in front of San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Nina Shapirsteyn on Friday after her request to delay the Measure A removal process was denied last month.
Another attorney for Corpus, Matthew Frauenfeld, from Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney, filed documents supporting their argument as to why her request was valid.
Frauenfeld said retired Judge James Emerson, who is serving as the hearing officer for the Measure A removal hearing, refused to postpone the hearing.
Separately from the Measure A removal hearings, the county’s civil grand jury has voted to bring four accusations against Corpus, which will now go to trial and could result in her removal.
Frauenfeld argued before Shapirsteyn that Measure A hearings should be delayed until Corpus’ legal team is able to study the grand jury transcripts.
Corpus’s legal team is currently reviewing the civil grand jury transcripts, which are between 1,800 and 2,000 pages, and has until Monday to decide whether they should be public or private.
Shapirsteyn denied his request, saying the civil grand jury’s actions are unrelated to the removal proceedings being done under Measure A.
[Comment deleted. This is a forum for readers to give their opinions on the news. However, we delete comments that make claims that aren’t accurate. In this case, the subject brought up by the commenter had been carefully researched by the Post last week, and we concluded that all laws were followed. Therefore we didn’t publish a story. We know that commenters think they’re providing a public service by doing their own research, but they sometimes lack the expertise to understand the issues upon which they are commenting.]
It must be hubris (exaggerated pride or self-confidence) that makes anyone think unacceptable verbiage is okay to publicly utter if the person doing it is a lawyer and they apologize immediately after the behavior.
There is a friendship between Corpus and Perez from her campaign and James Johnson who speaks at the board of supervisors meetings in support of her. Many of the people that speak at the board of supervisor meeting to support Corpus are the same people and/or asked by her and Victor to have a small but mighty presence…
Give me a break. We know the Post is against Corpus
Steve, can you read? This is labeled as OPINION.