Supervisors Will Vote Whether To Remove A Bay Area Sheriff Thursday

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday to decide if they will remove the sheriff accused of misconduct.

On March 4, Measure A was approved. This one-time amendment to the County Charter empowers supervisors to remove the sheriff for cause. Such causes include legal violations, blatant or persistent negligence, public fund misappropriation, deliberate document falsification, or obstructing an investigation.

The supervisors met April 8 to discuss the removal of Sheriff Christina Corpus, who has been accused of corruption, abuse of power, and fostering a toxic workplace, which she denies.

On May 6, Supervisors approved the next steps by which they could remove an elected sheriff.

Copies of the proposed notice of intent to remove were sent to each member of the board and to Corpus Monday, according to a press release. If the sheriff objects, it will not be shared publicly at that time.

Corpus has the option to appeal and request a comprehensive evidentiary hearing. Should the appeal proceed, both parties are entitled to present witnesses. Following the hearing, the designated officer must provide an opinion within 30 days. Ultimately, the county supervisors will render a final decision, which requires a supermajority of four-fifths to be approved.

Alfonso Estrada, San Mateo County's external counsel, explained that the process incorporates "several independent checks" designed with "an eye toward fundamental fairness" for both the county and the sheriff.

A report by former Judge Burke Strunsky, commissioned by Corpus and released on April 25, challenges the validity of Measure A and the Cordell report.

Marshall Wilson, SMC communications officer, stated that the Strunsky report implies Corpus is exempt from its own policies and is not subject to oversight.

According to an independent investigation report released May 22 by the Board of Supervisors, all misconduct accusations against a County executive, leveled by the Sheriff, have been dismissed.