By Olivia Hebert
SFGate, San Francisco
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Mateo County of Board Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to take away embattled Sheriff Christina Corpus from workplace for trigger, citing county constitution violations. Corpus can attraction the choice within the following days.
The 5-0 vote marks the primary time the board has used its authority underneath Measure A, a 2025 constitution modification authorized by 84% of voters in a particular election in response to alleged misconduct by Corpus. The measure permits the board to take away an elected sheriff for trigger with a supermajority vote by Dec. 31, 2028.
“It is a very regrettable chapter within the historical past of San Mateo County, and the taxpayers are paying a really heavy worth,” mentioned board President David Canepa throughout the assembly on Tuesday.
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Corpus, elected in 2022, is the primary lady and first Latina to function sheriff of San Mateo County .
The removing course of started earlier this yr after the county acquired nameless complaints alleging misconduct inside the sheriff’s workplace. In response, the board initiated a third-party investigation leading to 524 pages of proof and 42 witness interviews by November 2024.
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The procedural discover to take away Corpus discovered three particular grounds for removing underneath the county constitution: violation of the legislation associated to the efficiency of sheriff’s duties, flagrant and repeated neglect of these duties, and obstruction of an investigation into the sheriff’s conduct. The closed-session deliberation adopted a advice from Chief Probation Officer John Keene , who concluded that the sheriff’s conduct “violated the for-cause provisions within the county constitution.”
Corpus and her authorized workforce got the chance to reply to the allegations throughout a pre-removal convention held at their places of work. Keene, in his written advice, said that even after contemplating the sheriff’s presentation, he concluded her conduct met the edge for removing.
Neither the complete contents of the discover nor Keene’s formal advice have been made public, following objections from Corpus. The sheriff has denied the allegations and has filed a lawsuit towards the county, calling the method politically motivated and a violation of her due course of rights.
In a press release issued after the passage of Measure A earlier this yr, Corpus addressed the voter-approved modification that gave the board authority to take away a sheriff for trigger, saying she remained pleased with her service and had no intention of stepping down.
“So far as for me — I cannot resign,” Corpus informed the press, based on the San Mateo Each day Journal .
“My authorized workforce and I sit up for this chance, and are assured that I will likely be vindicated by a authentic course of,” she added.
She mentioned on the time of Measure A’s passage that she is “now entitled to a public evidentiary listening to earlier than a impartial and unbiased physique,” including that she is just now capable of “appropriately problem and show the allegations towards me and my administration.”
If Corpus appeals, a listening to officer will likely be chosen from an inventory of three authorized candidates. Corpus has 5 days to attraction, and the officer then has 60 days to finish the listening to. Afterward, the officer has 45 days to offer the board a advice, and the board has 30 days to make a remaining determination.
Vice President Noelia Corzo , supervisor of District 2 , emphasised the significance of transparency within the proceedings.
“I personally sit up for the day that the general public has entry to any and all data associated to this removing course of,” Corzo mentioned. “… This board doesn’t simply speak about transparency — we guarantee our actions actually uplift transparency.”
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