Sheriff refuses San Mateo County Board of Supervisors’ invitation to testify

The unprecedented effort to expand the board’s jurisdiction over an elected position within the county follows the public release of a scathing investigation report detailing evidence of corruption within the Sheriff’s Office top brass. 

At that same meeting, the board formally requested Corpus to attend its meeting Dec. 10, and provide sworn testimony, as a final chance for her participation in the matter before the Dec. 11 deadline to remove the measure from the ballot. 

The sheriff declined the invitation, according to a Dec. 5 letter sent to the board by Corpus’ counsel. Two days prior, her lawyers had asked the board to delay placing the measure on the ballot so Corpus could share her side. 

Though the sheriff denies any wrongdoing, according to the letter, she believes supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller have “blindly accepted the allegations in the report as the truth and nothing Sheriff Corpus says will change that.” 

“There is no good reason for Sheriff Corpus to subject herself to biased and political grandstanding by Supervisors Corzo and Mueller,” the letter reads. 

Corzo abstained from the board’s vote to invite Corpus to provide testimony, previously stating she worried the sheriff will use the platform to “continue to lie” and “has zero confidence in anything coming out of her mouth to be truthful.” 

In addition to concerns over Corpus’ honesty, an investigation conducted by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell outlined substantial evidence of retaliation, abuse of power and conflicts of interest within the sheriff’s administration. 

Though Corpus refused to provide any statement on the matter in front of the board, she seeks “an opportunity to be heard” through a vetting of the report and its witnesses. The letter from her lawyers states Corpus “needs the names of witnesses” to properly respond to the allegations.

The letter also suggests the board could have delayed its vote to place the measure on the ballot, but measures must be placed on the ballot 88 days prior to Election Day, which in this case was Friday, Dec. 6.  

Corpus also did not contribute any testimony or speak with Cordell during her conducted investigation.

According to the report, Cordell reached out to Corpus on Oct. 2 to schedule an interview, stating she was available to do so between 3-5 p.m. over the next three days. Corpus responded saying she was considering the request and would be in further contact, however, none was ultimately made. 

Corpus has previously said she did not feel enough flexibility was granted to allow for her participation.