A California sheriff is under fire after new reports say he paid more than $246,000 a year to hire an executive aide with whom he had an inappropriate intimate relationship.
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpuz has resigned in the wake of this damning report, which outlines the hiring of Victor Aenle as chief of staff, as well as other accusations of abuse and intimidation as chief. We are facing the voice of demand.
The report's release coincided with the arrest of a sheriff's deputy who heads the Sheriff's Deputies Association, which denounced the criminal charges as politically motivated by Corpus, according to media reports.
“Lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuse of power characterize the Corpus regime,” the scathing report states. “Sheriff Corpus should resign and Victor Aenle’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office be terminated immediately.
“Nothing short of new leadership can save this disorganized and demoralized organization.”
The report, carried out by a retired judge, claimed that Mr Corpus and Mr Aenle had a personal relationship that was “more than just friendship”. The report said evidence showed they had an “intimate relationship.”
According to the report, “As a result of this relationship, Sheriff Corpus will transfer control of the San Mateo Sheriff's Office to Mr. Aenle, who has far more experience as an associate real estate broker at Coldwell Banker than in law enforcement. “It happened.”
In July 2023, Mr. Aenle was hired as Executive Director of Administration in a civilian capacity with an annual salary of $246,979, including benefits.
He collaborated with her successful sheriff's campaign in 2022 and was later hired to work on her transition team, but authorities say Ms. Corpuz and Ms. Aenle went to Hawaii together, according to the report. After discovering this, the county discontinued the work.
The report also alleges a myriad of other issues regarding Mr. Corpus, including allegations that he sent racist and homophobic texts and that he fired a sheriff's deputy for cooperating with an internal investigation. are.
“It's clear that we have a sheriff that can't be trusted,” Corzo said. ABC 7 Los Angeles reported.
“This independent investigation reveals why.”
But Corpuz did not back down, holding two separate press conferences on Tuesday to defend his office.
“I am shocked by the blatant slurs by two members of the Board of Supervisors this afternoon. No one would ever call me a racist or homophobe. …Nobody who knows me But you know I don't use racist language,” she said in her first statement. According to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I don't have that kind of ability. This is a large-scale investigation full of lies that I was asked to do with the outcome anticipated in advance.”
At a second press conference, she said she had “a personal relationship with Mr. Aenle and my staff.”
“I've dealt with this kind of rhetoric throughout my career,” she claimed, according to the paper.
“I'm a woman of color who has risen through the ranks in a male-dominated field. This is nothing new to me.”
According to the Chronicle, on the same day the report was issued, Carlos Tapia, president of the Deputy Sheriff's Association, was arrested and charged by the sheriff's office with felony theft and theft by false pretense.
He claimed that his arrest was prompted by retaliation because he was a strong critic of her leadership.
The union claimed that the arrest was “all intended to retaliate against the whistleblower.” According to the Palo Alto Daily Post.
“The sheriff violated long-standing conflict of interest policies and abused his power and the public’s trust by arresting the union president,” the union reportedly continued.
Corpus argued that the arrests were based on probable cause that a crime had been committed and not retaliation.
