The future of San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus will once again be in the hands of voters after the Board of Supervisors approved a ballot measure Tuesday that would authorize supervisors to remove an elected sheriff for just cause.
The resolution, approved shortly before noon Tuesday, will trigger a special election in March on the amendment that, if approved by voters, would allow the board to fire Corpus, a power the supervisors currently do not have.
The board voted 4-0, with Supervisor David Canepa not present for the vote. The supervisors also passed a second resolution inviting Corpus to provide sworn testimony to the board at their next meeting on December 10.
“There are allegations in the complaint,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller. “Tell us in your own words what happened on the 10th under sworn testimony before us before we decide to move forward.”
Supervisor Noella Corza abstained from the vote to invite the sheriff to testify under oath.
“I personally abstained because I do not trust her to tell the truth even under sworn testimony at this time,” Corza said.
Lawyers for Corpus had asked the board to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the bylaw amendment, the second unanimous vote by supervisors to approve the measure after last month’s first vote.
The embattled Corpus is facing calls to resign after multiple allegations of misconduct. An independent report by retired California Supreme Court Justice LaDoris Cordell accuses Corpus of bullying, using racist and homophobic slurs, conflict of interest and having a personal relationship with her chief of staff, Victor Aenile.
On Tuesday, Corzo cited the sheriff’s previous appearance before the board when she announced plans to promote Aenile, the man at the center of the abuse of power allegations.
“She tried to promote Victor Aenlle to a position he is not qualified for, right in these rooms,” Corzo said. “If this isn’t political theater, I don’t know what is.”
Corpus has denied any wrongdoing and has argued that her critics should pursue a recall, saying an amendment is a “blatant attempt to circumvent voters.” A recall would require 45,000 signatures. Supervisors have said the March vote would cost the county millions.
Last month, Corpus appeared before the board and called on the supervisors to resign, calling the investigation against her “politically motivated and one-sided.” She has also announced plans to further develop her office with a restructured leadership team.
“Resigning from my position or giving up the independence of this agency is not the solution,” Corpus said in a statement last week. “Such actions would set a dangerous precedent and jeopardize the progress we have made and the meaningful change our voters have entrusted to me.”
Corpus published the statement a day after the San Carlos City Council joined the The calls for her resignation are growingwhere a motion of no confidence was approved. The vote came almost two weeks after the vote San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has also been issued a similar vote of no confidence against Corpus.
Corpus has called the move to place the charter amendment on the ballot “anti-democratic.”
“It is a petty political scheme,” Corpus said in a prepared statement last month. “This charter amendment with sunset language that only applies to me is an attempt to bypass the voters and try to dethrone me. I will fight it tooth and nail. I’m not going anywhere.”
The special election will take place on March 4, 2025.
Wilson Walker contributed to this story.
