San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus has gone to court in an attempt to halt the county’s March election that would allow the Board of Supervisors to oust her from her office. She’s facing removal due to allegations of abuse of power, retaliation and conflicts of interest.
Corpus’s attorneys filed a petition on Friday in San Mateo County Superior Court asking a judge to stop the impending March 4 election.
If Corpus’s attorneys are unable to stop the election, voters will decide whether to amend the county’s charter to allow four of the five supervisors to remove a sheriff “for good cause.”
Corpus contends that the election shouldn’t happen in March, but instead in November 2026 because the law says charter measures should only appear on the ballot in general statewide elections.
County’s response
County Attorney John Nibbelin said Corpus’ petition is “seeking to deprive county residents of the opportunity to vote on the pending charter amendment measure. The petition lacks merit, both as to law, which it misapplies, and to the facts, which it misconstrues. We expect that the court will deny relief in this matter and that the election will proceed.”
Corpus has previously said the only credible way to get her out of office is through a recall.
“If you want a sheriff out, you hold a recall,” Corpus said in a statement on Nov. 19. “This is a blatant attempt to go around the voters. They don’t want a recall vote because they know they will lose.”
A recall effort, led by retired state Sen. Jerry Hill of San Mateo and retired Caltrain/Samtrans CEO Jim Hartnett of Redwood City, is in its early stages.
No time to respond
On Nov. 12, the county released a 400-page report by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell about Corpus and her former chief of staff, Victor Aenlle.
In it, Cordell concludes that “lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interests and abuses of authority are the hallmarks of the Corpus administration.”
Corpus’s attorneys from Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney, said in the filing that the county did not give Corpus time to remedy the accusations.
Before the report was released, Cordell offered Corpus time to speak with her regarding the allegations Cordell was looking into. Corpus never responded to Cordell’s request.
Corpus refused an invitation to a Dec. 10 Board of Supervisors meeting to explain the abuse-of-power scandal gripping her office.
Corpus also claims that the Board of Supervisor’s vote to put the measure on the ballot was invalid because two members of the board — Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller — “were biased against Sheriff Corpus, and they had already made up their minds about the facts and whether removal was warranted. Since the vote, those supervisors have continued to show their bias against Sheriff Corpus.”
Corpus’ petition also warns that if the election goes forward, there’s a chance a court could find it is invalid afterward, which would diminish the initiative process in the minds of voters.
This appears to be true. How did Board of Supervisors make such a huge error?
In Santa Clara County several Supervisors are attorneys. Maybe not in San Mateo County.
“Corpus contends that the election should not happen in March, but instead in November 2026 because the law says charter measures should only appear on the ballot in general statewide elections.”
The only huge error is that Corpus has not put the county first and resigned. This is a local county election not a state wide election. There were two separate board meetings to discuss this. Corpus only appearance made was her theatrical appearance to try and save Aenlle’s job and appoint him to a position he was none the less qualified to do.
The lack of accountabilty of this Sheriff is pure disqust. She alone ignored so many HR complaints that the county had to step in and help. To pretend like there has been no opportunity to step in is beyond reckless. This Sheriff had COUNTLESS opportunties to act like a leader, show some professionalism or just follow basic labor laws.
There are multiple complaints, including a PERP complaint, a false arrest of her own union president, RETALIATION against RESPECTED employees and every single county board, mayor, congress and senate AGAINST this CORRUPTION.
The San Mateo Board of Supervisors followed the law to add an amendment to the T. There is no reason this Sheriff should think she is above the law just because she is elected. There is no reason this sheriff should be pointing fingers at prior Sheriff’s just because she has a vendetta against her past. This is blatant and utter retaliation to this entire county. This sheriff needs counseling and to add morals and values to her life.
Ask the Governor why she is kicked off his State correction board?
What do you think a Sheriff should be doing with her elected time in office? Gaslighting the county on ABC7 news and narcissistic memos or actually showing up to work, working with the county leaders, interacting with deputies, Sergeants, Captains, the unions? NONE of her duties have been fulfilled for MONTHS, she is a MESS a complete incompetent mess of a Sheriff ! People need to read the laws and actually speak truth rather than throw around rumors about what is right and wrong. What is reality needs to be made public and these attempts to undermine issues has got to stop. Aenlle has filled this Sheriff’s head with mistruths and conspiracy theories, Corpus had made too many bad decisions and followed a path in life that destroyed herself and any dignity she possibly has. YUCK!