The proper path for a removal of an elected official should be the recall, however, the timeline for such an effort is too long when it comes to the people of San Mateo County who rely on the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement.
That’s why we wholeheartedly support Measure A, which would give the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors the temporary ability to remove the sheriff with a four-fifths vote. Make no mistake, this vote, to be tabulated March 4, is a vote by the people, of the people and for the people, to ensure the sheriff’s removal. There is no other way to interpret it.
A recall needs more time, and we don’t have that luxury.
It is abundantly apparent that Christina Corpus is not the person for this job. When we endorsed Corpus for sheriff in 2022, she represented a fresh start we hoped would be marked by progress, open communication, community engagement and transparency. Corpus had the requisite experience and made proactive transparency and communication her campaign’s central premise. She promised to speed the progress already underway.
Corpus began her tenure as sheriff with great promise and may have faced challenges greater than we know but did not meet those challenges. However, instead of leading, she fell to dysfunction and chaos. Nowhere is this more evident than in a report by Judge LaDoris Cordell that reveals a litany of failures by Corpus, though it focuses much on her close ally, Victor Aenlle, who has operated as chief of staff. Each page clearly shows an organization in chaos, severely strained by a lack of leadership, compassion and flexibility at best and saturated by corruption, vindictiveness, paranoia and a cloudy sense of reality at worst. It is a tragedy of the highest order.
Cordell has a stellar reputation forged by years of experience in exactly this type of work. This was not a work of fiction. There is no way anyone can read the Cordell report, and Corpus’ incomplete and combative responses to it, and think this is a good department with a promising future. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is in disarray.
Sheriff’s sergeants and captains also have made it abundantly clear they have no confidence. Two cities that contract with the Sheriff’s Office for police services have no confidence. The Board of Supervisors have no confidence. Our state and federal elected officials have no confidence.
Some point to the charter amendment known as Measure A as an inartful vessel for removal. We agree, but it must be used now. After, let’s have a discussion on a better way. We suggest state legislation that would provide a way for a quicker recall, say 90 days, with a vote of four-fifths of the Board of Supervisors. Certain circumstances call for quicker resolution, such as this one, in which public safety is at stake.
This is not a rhetorical exercise, this is our county. And we deserve better. Vote yes on Measure A.
(5) comments
Protect Your Vote!
No on Measure A!
At a time when our American democracy is under constant attack from those who are trying to take power by suppressing and devaluing our vote, our San Mateo County Supervisors are trying to do the same thing with Measure A in the upcoming special election.
Christina Corpus was democratically elected to be the San Mateo County Sheriff in 2022, overcoming the long-standing, good-ol-boy system perpetuated by defeated incumbent Carlos Bolanos. Agree or disagree with the results of that county-wide vote, as an elected official, she can only be legally removed from her position by another vote of the people - just like the Supervisors themselves. That's the law.
So the Supervisors want to change the law using Measure A to take the power of the vote out of our hands.
The only way to protect our vote in San Mateo County is to vote NO on Measure A!
I told everyone before the election that Corpus was a wolf in sheep's clothing - and the "Good-old-boy" club she claimed existed under Carlos Bolanos - did in fact, not exist.
When then-Sherrif Greg Monks and appointed undersherrif Carlos Bolanos were "swept up" in an FBI sting raid in a suspected Nevada brothel in 2007, who was the wolf in sheep's clothing and who was in the Good-old-boy's club?
In 2007 when then-Sheriff Greg Monks and appointed undersheriff Carlos Bolanos were "swept up" in an FBI sting raid of a Nevada brothel, who was the wolf-in-sheep's clothing and who were the Good-ol-boys?
Well written and well reasoned editorial. I’m voting YES on Measure A because we deserve better.
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