Two members of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors are calling on Sheriff Christina Corpus to resign after releasing details from a new independent report investigating allegations against the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
The 400-page report is the findings of an investigation by retired Judge Ladoris Cordell and includes nearly 50 exhibits detailing what she says is evidence of abuse by the sheriff's office and staff. The report includes accusations that range from employee retaliation to overstepping authority. It goes on to allege lies, secrecy, and intimidation by the sheriff's administration.
"I am shocked by the outright slander by two members of the board. These are people who have a vendetta against me. I am disgusted at how low these people will go," Corpus said in a news briefing she held late Tuesday. "These allegations are absolutely not true."
County supervisors will meet Wednesday to discuss the sheriff's future.
In an exclusive interview with NBC Bay Area on Tuesday, Corpus said the report itself is biased. The sheriff also said she has not seen the report and that Cordell did not give her adequate time to answer questions. Corpus said she is not going anywhere and does not plan to resign.
Meanwhile, the deputy's union president was arrested on Tuesday for alleged fraud and the union immediately claimed the arrest is whistleblower retaliation. Corpus said the deputy's arrest had nothing to do with the investigation into allegations against her office.
"I stand before you today to address a serious matter that affects not only the integrity of my sheriff's office but also the trust we have worked so hard to build with our communities. It's never easy when one of your own is involved in alleged criminal activity. Today I must share with you the difficult but necessary decision to arrest a deputy within our office," Corpus said in the first of two news briefings she held on Tuesday. "No one is above the law, and we are committed to accountability at every level. These actions, while difficult, are necessary to uphold the integrity of our office and the trust of our community."
San Mateo County Supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller presented Cordell's report during a news briefing Tuesday in county chambers. The sheriff's chief of staff was the focus of many of the complaints. The supervisors are now demanding accountability.
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During another exclusive interview with NBC Bay Area on Oct. 4, Corpus spoke out after coming under fire from county administration and multiple unions.
"I’m not going to let people who are unhappy with themselves tear me down," she said in the interview. "I am strong. And I had the courage to run against my boss, and I fought hard.”
Corpus recently filed a formal complaint against the county’s executive, Mike Callagy, for what she describes as bullying. In that complaint, Corpus asked the board of supervisors to investigate Callagy, claiming he has undermined her ability to execute her duties as sheriff on various occasions since assuming her role in 2023.
The sheriff's claims against Callagy came amid rising tensions between union members, Corpus, and her chief of staff. The county's board of supervisors has also been investigating the sheriff's office.
Early last month, the Deputy Sheriff's Association and Organization of Sheriff's Sergeants held a vote of no confidence in Corpus' chief of staff, Victor Aenlle. The DSA overwhelmingly passed a vote of no confidence in Aenlle, with a margin of 306 to 12.
