The saga continues in San Mateo County as Sheriff Christina Corpus seems dead set on leaving her job kicking and screaming, as opposed to bowing out quietly as the cards keep getting stacked against her.
On Friday, a civil grand jury issued recommendations of charges for Corpus, accusing her of three counts of retaliation against employees, and one count of conflict of interest. The recommendations come after the grand jury heard testimony from 32 witnesses over the course of a month, as arranged by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
"The conflict of interest allegation pertains to the hiring and supervision of former Executive Director of Administration, Victor Aenlle, with whom she had a close personal relationship," the DA's office says in a release. "The three counts of retaliation pertain to the termination of Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan; the transfer of Captain Brian Philip; and the arrest of Deputy Carlos Tapia, the president of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association."
Corpus was the subject of an independent investigation that concluded last fall after complaints from multiple employees in the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. She is accused of hiring Aenlle to be her chief of staff, despite the fact that he was primarily employed as a realtor in the county, and was allegedly engaged in an affair with Corpus — who was married to and has children with someone else who worked in the department.
Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan was fired last September, as KRON4 reports, allegedly over his participation in the investigation against Corpus — Corpus allegedly told Monaghan he was being let go because he was not "loyal."
Tapia was arrested on felony grand theft charges that were later tossed by a judge. He said Corpus had him arrested because he was a whistleblower.
The report on Corpus's tenure last fall had included accusations of creating a toxic workplace, that she and Aenlle functioned as a "cult of two" in their management of the department, and using offensive, homophobic, and racist language in the workplace, including use of the N-word.
After county leaders fired Aenlle from his paid position, Corpus brought him back into the department in a volunteer role in April, in what was seen as a blatant middle-finger move toward the county board.
Corpus has denied all accusations against her, calling the investigation a political "witchhunt," denying her romantic relationship with Aenlle, and claiming she was being persecutd for being a Latina woman in a position of power.
In a special election in March, voters in San Mateo County voted overwhelmingly to give the board of supervisors the power to remove Corpus from office, however that process appears that it will take some months to complete — and it's not clear if the grand jury report will suffice, or if Corpus will face separate hearings and a mini-trial before the board as well.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 last week to proceed with the process of removing Corpus.
Corpus is being called for a hearing in the grand jury case on July 15.
In a statement, per KRON4, Corpus says, "Let me be clear: I am not going anywhere. I was elected by the people of San Mateo County, and I will continue to serve them with the integrity, courage, and commitment that this office demands. I will fight this unjust persecution to the very end — because the truth matters, and so does the will of the voters."
According to the DA's office, Corpus could still face criminal prosecution if and when she is ultimately removed from office.
This post has been corrected to show that the civil grand jury has only recommended civil charges against Corpus.
