The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to demand the immediate resignation of embattled Sheriff Christina Corpus and the ouster of her chief of staff.
Corpus remained defiant, sweeping into the board’s meeting and declaring that she would not resign or stand for her chief of staff being fired, and instead would be promoting him to assistant sheriff.
The supervisors were responding to a scathing report about the Sheriff’s Office from independent investigator and former Judge LaDoris Cordell that was released Tuesday and contained findings of abuse of power, retaliation, intimidation, homophobia and racism in Corpus’ office.
The report also investigated Corpus’ chief of staff, Victor Aenlle, who is not a sworn officer, yet Cordell said worked in tandem with Corpus to wreak havoc at the Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation found that Aenlle exercised authority far beyond his duties and inched his way up the chain of command where he applied wide-ranging and sometimes abusive authority over civil and sworn staff.
The investigation came after multiple complaints by employees at the Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday, supervisors discussed how to handle the scathing report’s findings.
Corpus should step down and Victor Aenlle’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office should be terminated immediately. Nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized.
independent investigator and former Judge LaDoris Cordell
“In my 40 years in county government, I have never witnessed such chaos,” said board president Warren Slocum. “That chaos has been caused by the sheriff. Much of our time in these recent months has been spent on this issue, and it all started from several dozen whistleblower complaints.”
The 400-page report by Cordell found that the sheriff and her chief of staff had an improper intimate relationship, that she had used the n-word when she was a captain in the department, and that she fostered a toxic work environment, among other allegations.
“Lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuses of authority are all the hallmarks of the Corpus administration,” reads Cordell’s report. “Corpus should step down and Victor Aenlle’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office should be terminated immediately. Nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized.”
Supervisor Dave Pine outlined some of the report’s findings at Wednesday’s meeting.
“We have before us an extensive report that details extremely serious incidents of improper activity in the Sheriff’s Department,” Pine said. “I will repeat a couple of them: improper hiring of an individual while in a personal relationship, disregard for the requirements and standards of a reserve deputy, multiple instances of retaliation, intimidation and use of racial and homophobic slurs.”
The supervisors unanimously took a vote of no confidence in Corpus on Wednesday and demanded her immediate resignation.
Corpus has refused to resign, denying the allegations in the report, which she described as “glaring lies.”
She also resisted cooperation with Cordell’s investigation.
“The sheriff chose secrecy time and time again by refusing to speak with Judge Cordell and has instead blamed this on scheduling conflicts,” Slocum said.
“The sheriff is not a victim of any ‘good ol’ boys club,’” said Supervisor Noelia Corzo. “She is the most powerful person in the Sheriff’s Office, the top law enforcement agent in this county and she needs to be held accountable.”
The board does not have direct authority to fire the sheriff but is looking at other ways to get Corpus out.
One of those methods is creating a charter amendment that would give the board the power to remove the sheriff, which could take several months since voters would have to approve it. The board agreed unanimously to go with this as one of their options.
The supervisors can also abolish Aenlle’s civilian position of sheriff’s executive director of administration, which they unanimously approved on Wednesday.
Tension following abrupt promotion
Just before public comment concluded at the meeting, Corpus and Undersheriff Dan Perea entered the chambers so she could make a statement to the board. To many people’s surprise, she declared that she would be promoting Aenlle to assistant sheriff.
“What has happened in the last few days is disgusting,” Corpus said at the meeting. “I will not allow the board to threaten me and attempt to fire my chief of staff without cause. This inquiry was politically motivated and one-sided. That is why, effective immediately, I’m appointing Victor Aenlle to the position of assistant sheriff.”
She then stormed out with Perea behind her, ignoring Supervisor Ray Mueller’s question about whether she would be willing to give sworn testimony to Cordell. Corpus eventually responded by saying she would not speak until she could get an attorney.
Mueller said that Corpus’ decision to promote Aenlle was a clear example of her trying to protect him from getting removed by the board.
“The response of the sheriff today is to come into these chambers and promote him. Promote him! It’s just unbelievable,” Mueller said. “Obviously, if we eliminate the position and he’s the one in it, he would be laid off. By taking that proactive step today in live action for everyone, she protected him from that taking place.”
The board tasked the county attorney with determining if Aenlle is even qualified to serve as an assistant Sheriff.
“What’s left now to the county is to go ahead and look at whether or not he actually meets the qualifications for an assistant sheriff, which frankly is in doubt given his current status as a reserve officer and not a sworn officer,” Mueller said.
They also took it a step further by barring Aenlle from entering any space where only sworn personnel and county employees are allowed to enter.
The board will also explore going through a criminal grand jury to oust Corpus. A grand jury has the power to remove her after a trial if they find cause for criminal activity.
“But that, frankly, takes a long time,” Mueller said.
The board also decided to send the investigative report to the county district attorney and the California attorney general, who have greater authority to remove a sheriff following an investigation.
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe on Tuesday said his office was reviewing Cordell’s report.
Any path the board decides to take is expected to last several months and could cost the county millions of dollars, Slocum said.
“The board takes no pleasure in these actions,” Corzo said. “When Sheriff Corpus was elected, we shared her optimism for positive change within the Sheriff’s Office. However, her leadership has led to an exodus of dedicated, experienced and highly competent staff, and has severely damaged morale within the department she oversees, impacting public safety. While she may consider herself a disruptor, her actions have brought destruction.”
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