San Mateo County supervisors on Tuesday tightened the screws on Sheriff Christina Corpus and their attempts to get her to resign by advancing an ordinance that calls for a special election next spring.
The special election in March would ask voters to amend the county charter and give supervisors power to remove a sheriff for cause by a four-fifths vote. The board is scheduled to vote on the special election ordinance again Dec. 3 to make it official.
The board has been calling on Corpus to resign after an independent investigation found that her department allegedly fosters a culture of racial and homophobic slurs, retaliation and humiliation.
The investigation also points to evidence showing Corpus and her Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle are involved in a personal relationship. The sheriff says the inquiry was politically motivated, one sided and was filled with lies.
Last week, supervisors met to consider a resolution to remove Aenlle’s position, but Corpus walked into the meeting and proceeded to promote him to assistant sheriff, a position the board has no authority over.
The county does not believe Aenlle, a civilian, meets the requirements to be an assistant sheriff.
Assistant Sheriff Matthew Fox resigned shortly after.
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Corpus has not responded to NBC Bay Area's request for an interview in recent days.
On Monday, lawmakers representing San Mateo County at the state and federal level issued a statement calling on Corpus to resign, saying "the turmoil engulfing the sheriff’s office continues to damage the organization and its members, jeopardize public safety."
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Tuesday's special meeting starts at 9:15 a.m.
