This story originally appeared in the Saturday, Aug. 30, print edition of the Daily Post. To get important local news stories first, pick up the Post in the mornings at 1,000 Mid-Peninsula locations.
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus broke down in tears on the witness stand Friday (Aug. 29) during the last day of a hearing where she is appealing her removal, saying she was put into office by God.
Corpus started crying after Thomas Mazzucco, her attorney, asked her why she continues to come to work despite facing removal.
Corpus said she has fought tooth and nail to get where she is, and that God has made her sheriff for a reason.
“I would not compromise my integrity, my oath to office, for anyone or anything,” Corpus said.
Corpus said she is committed to the deputies who don’t have a voice right and to her kids. Corpus said her children mean the world to her and without her health insurance, her special needs son wouldn’t be able to go to his appointments. (As a retiree of the county, she and her family would be eligible for health insurance benefits, according to the county HR website.)
One allegation against Corpus was that she had a conflict of interest by hiring her alleged boyfriend, realtor Victor Aenlle, to be her chief of staff. Both Corpus and Aenlle denied they were having an affair.
According to witnesses, Corpus and Aenlle took vacations together in Hawaii and Lake Tahoe. The two have given varying explanations of the Hawaii trip.
County Manager Mike Callagy testified that Corpus told him she had gone with Aenlle to Lake Tahoe for vacation. Corpus denied taking such a trip.
Mazzucco also asked about the recent transfers of Lieutenants Brandon Hensel and Dan Reynolds to different assignments. The transfers were announced on Aug. 23 after both had testified against the sheriff, which appears to buttress the allegation that Corpus retaliates against those who cross her. But in court on Friday, Corpus said Hensel and Reynolds both requested to be transferred and were thankful for it. (Since Corpus was the last person to testify, Hensel and Reynolds could not be brought into court to say whether the sheriff’s statement was true.)
The Board of Supervisors began the process to remove Corpus after they commissioned retired Santa Clara County Judge LaDoris Cordell to investigate a growing number of HR complaints against Aenlle. During her investigation, Corpus fired Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan after he spoke to Cordell for her report.
Another of Corpus’ lawyers, former Democratic National Committee chair and Obama administration Labor Secretary Tom Perez, criticized Cordell’s report during closing arguments on Friday.
Perez said the lynchpin of the Cordell report was Corpus’ office assistant when she was a captain in Millbrae, Valerie Barnes. Barnes testified seeing Aenlle rub Corpus’ back and feet, and that she saw them kiss. Perez said Barnes claim about the affair was contradicted by Millbrae City Manager Tom Williams. Williams said Barnes was upset that she didn’t get a promotion after Corpus was elected.
They can’t both be right, Perez said.
“Someone lied in the courtroom,” Perez said in a booming voice.
Perez said Barnes is a liar and will face perjury charges, Perez said.
Brook Dooley, attorney for the county, told the hearing officer, retired Judge James Emerson, not to fall for the distractions Corpus’s legal team presented.
Barnes’s testimony is supported by other deputies and text messages, Dooley said.
Corpus’s relationship with Aenlle was “intimate enough” to be a conflict of interest, despite whether it was romantic or not, said Franco Muzzio, an attorney for the county.
Corpus said during her testimony that once trust is broken, it can’t be recovered again. Muzzio seized upon that comment and said Corpus has broken that trust with the public.
“Public trust is a privilege,” Muzzio said.
Another attorney for the county, Jan Little, had asked Corpus earlier in the day if she thought if several of the witnesses were liars, Corpus said yes to the majority of Little’s list.
Corpus has continuously pointed her finger at everyone else, refuses to take responsibility and calls everyone else liars, Dooley said during closing arguments.
Emerson has 45 days to form an opinion on Corpus’ appeal and present it to the Board of Supervisors, which will then have another 30 days to consider the appeal before holding a final vote on whether to remove Corpus. That vote must pass with a four-fifths majority, meaning Corpus could keep her job if two of the five supervisors vote in her favor. However, the vote to remove her on June 5 was unanimous.
Corpus, who took office in January 2023, is also facing removal from the civil grand jury, which issued accusations against her that will lead to a trial. A conviction will result in her removal from office and she will be permanently prohibited from holding office again.
San Mateo County Sons of Anarchy. Instead of a wearing a leather jacket Victor wore a 3 piece suit and Corpus wore oversized zoot suits. There must have been a trip to the Mob Museum gift shop in Las Vegas that we all missed.
Im pretty sure Tom Perez was having flashbacks to Bill Clinton saying “l did not have sexual relations with that woman,” only its Corpus saying she did not have sexual relations with that doctor.
Sorry to break your delusion ma’am, but God did not make you sheriff, the voters did. In 2022, 82,622 citizens voted you IN as Sheriff, and by 2025, 90,900 citizens voted to get you OUT of the Sheriff’s position. I am beyond tired of the will of the voters being ignored. Time for a new sheriff in town, the voters have spoken.
God put her in that job? I doubt the judge will be persuaded by that. Maybe her goal is to be sent to an insane asylum, if they have those anymore.
No, they just let them roam the streets now mixed in with the homeless drug addicted populations.
What an embarrassment! Can this worthless troll get anymore pathetic? “Delusional” doesn’t even begin to describe her thought process if Corpus feels she’s proven her case. Can’t wait to see her tossed out on her arse. Good riddance you filthy animal!
Saying that….proves she is unfit for the office.
HE does not give jobs, doesn’t answer prayers…the rules are in the Bible.
Ms. Barnes is not a liar. Has anyone looked up Tom Williams past? He seems very unethical. Like he’s playing both sides of the fence (the ‘ol just in case scenario). Barnes has everything to lose by telling the truth. As have the other witnesses.
Williams does not work for the Sheriff’s Office. I maintain these current employees are the unsung heroes. Imagine being in their position. I couldn’t. Having to go to work with that stress every day?
Exactly as I had predicted, first it was God (oh god!), next she is gonna wheel out her poor kid, who is autistic, claiming that if she is fired, she wont be able to care for him. Did you claim the same thing when you and Kovach’s divorced, Victina ? No, it was all about the $ Always will be. She will do *anything* to hang on. Despicable creep, along with her midget Napoleon. He needs a TriCorner hat, along with a saber and then he can be the very Model of Modern Major General. Apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan. But I’d start learning the lyrics soon, if I were you. Watch a few re-runs of Master and Commander to get started, as practice, will ya ? Or read 3-4 of the books. I hear Sabers are going cheap in 2nd hand Military shops these days, but then again, they might be larger than you. Don’t trip on it, oops , darn !
MAGA imbeciles believe God made Trump president?
Self Before Service, written by Gern Blansten
ACT I – THE RISE
SAN MATEO COUNTY – NIGHT (2022 ELECTION NIGHT)
A rooftop party. San Francisco Bay twinkles in the distance. Supporters cheer as CHRISTINA CORPUS (54, Latina, ambitious, composed) steps up to a podium.
Her husband JOHN KOVACH and campaign aide VALERIE BARNES stand nearby.
CORPUS
Tonight, the people of San Mateo County chose change.
Chose progress. Chose integrity.
Cheers erupt. Cameras flash. The crowd chants her name.
In the back, VICTOR AENLLE (50s, charismatic, calculating) watches intently. He claps, but his eyes never leave Corpus.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE – TRANSITION MEETING – DAY
Charts, papers, campaign posters. JEFF KERNAN (60s, veteran cop) lays out an org chart. Corpus and Aenlle sit across from him.
KERNAN
Two assistant sheriffs, one chief of staff. Clean chain of command.
Aenlle slides over his chart — giving the Chief of Staff sweeping control.
KERNAN
Victor, this puts sworn staff under a civilian.
That’s not how this works.
AENLLE
That’s how it’ll work now. Christina needs someone she can trust.
Corpus looks uneasy, but says nothing. Aenlle smirks.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE – DAY
MIKE CALLAGY leans across his desk, careful but firm.
CALLAGY
Christina, are you… involved with anyone on your transition team?
CORPUS
I’m fifty-four years old. I don’t have to explain who I date to you — or anyone.
CALLAGY
Nepotism matters. Perception matters. Don’t cross that line.
Corpus holds his stare. The warning lingers.
Wins Tony Award for casting, but beat out for best play by Cats as the plot is considered more believable.
That woman has no business leading the San Mateo Sheriff’s Department
Corpus appears to have run a successful electoral campaign based on something known as “negative social bonding.” Negative social bonding refers to the process of building relationships or connections based on shared dislikes, rivalries, or other negative sentiments. In part, these are smear campaign tactics. Think in terms of her manipulation of Detective Caryn Barker, think of any originating ever so timely leaks of distorted assertions concerning the Batmobile investigation, think of her own powerfully offered assertions of a good ole boy network by her political opponent who was the prior officer holder.
Creating an environment ripe for bonding over a common perceived enemy, or a shared dislike for something or someone, creates a sense of “us versus them,” which can accelerate feelings of closeness and understanding between individuals. The campaign of “A Sheriff You Can Trust” very much embodies those perspectives.
Gresham Sykes and David Matza are academics who lend a lens of understanding to Corpus’ recent testimony, statements and ongoing behaviors. In virtually each instance, Corpus has justified herself as “right”, with all others as “wrong” to minimize her own actions. Essentially, Sykes and Matza describe five techniques of what they refer to as, “neutralization,” or ways people like justify unethical or criminal behavior; Corpus’ clearly has aligned herself with attempts at “neutralization” in regard to the allegations against her.
Those who commit unethical or criminal behavior, embody minimization of their own behaviors and culpability by, 1) Denial of Responsibility (claiming they had no choice), 2) Denial of Injury (claiming no harm was done), 3) Denial of the Victim (claiming the victim deserved it), 4) Condemnation of the Condemners (blaming those who disapprove), and 5) Appeal to Higher Loyalties (justifying actions for a greater good or cause).
The foregoing is offered only to provide some degree of insight into what those following this case have witnesses in the testimony of Corpus. She is not crazy. She is not mentally ill. Rather, her testimony goes to the specific intent of her own actions, through her own eyes. It largely appears to reflect that she is undoubtedly the wrong individual for the position she holds. It also largely supports her removal from office.