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The San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association has launched a PAC to support a county charter amendment that, if passed by voters in March, would let the board of supervisors remove embattled Sheriff Christina Corpus, according to documents filed with the San Mateo County Elections Division.
The special election is scheduled for March 4, 2025.
The political action committee, sponsored by the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and named Law Enforcement Against Corruption, filed its papers of organization with the county on Dec. 9. The DSA is the union that represents deputies, assistant sheriffs, and other law enforcement personnel under the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
“The goal is to provide a centralized location for monetary contributions in support of measures currently against Sheriff Corpus,” wrote representatives from the DSA and the Organization of Sheriffs’ Sergeants in a statement to this news organization. “Money is actively being raised with much support and enthusiasm.”
Representatives from the DSA and OSS said they expect to receive over $100,000 in donations this week.
The committee’s treasurer is Eliot Storch, a member of the sheriff’s union who previously spoke out against Corpus. The principal officer and assistant treasurer is Matthew Silano, also a member of the DSA.
The committee’s email address directs to Keys Law Corporation, a Sacramento-based law firm specializing in lobbying and campaign finance. The DSA is listed as the committee’s sponsor.
Representatives for the DSA and OSS say that they intend to keep the PAC active following the special election.
”While this committee is currently focused on measures against Sheriff Corpus, no law enforcement official is above the law,” representatives from the DSA and OSS wrote. ”Racism, homophobia and retaliation will not be tolerated in the Sheriff’s Office or San Mateo County.”
No other political action committee has been created in favor of or opposing the charter amendment since the Board of Supervisors voted on Dec. 3 to hold a special election.
The board passed a resolution to initiate the election following the release of a 408-page independent investigation into Corpus and the Sheriff’s Office, which contained allegations of retaliation and abuse of power in her office, an alleged multi-year affair between Corpus and her chief of staff Victor Aenlle and possible illegal activity.
As Corpus is an elected official, the board does not have the authority to remove her from her post. However, the charter amendment, if passed by San Mateo County voters, would grant them the power, with a four-fifths vote, to remove her under certain circumstances, including violation of laws relating to her duties as sheriff, neglect of duties, misappropriation of county funds, falsification of official statements and/or obstruction of an official investigation into the conduct of the Sheriff’s Office.
At the Dec. 3 meeting, the board formally invited Corpus to give sworn testimony under the penalty of perjury and answer questions from the board at its Dec. 10 meeting.
However, Supervisor Ray Mueller confirmed on Monday, Dec. 9, in an email to this news organization that Corpus had “informed the Board she will not answer questions, nor testify, under penalty of perjury regarding the independent investigators report” at the Dec. 10 meeting.
At the board’s Nov. 13 meeting, Corpus previously said that she would not provide sworn testimony to the board unless provided with legal representation.
Thomas Mazzucco, a lawyer representing Corpus, appeared at the Dec. 3 meeting and asked the supervisors to hold off on voting to give her legal team more time to review the allegations made against her. Mazzucco did not respond to requests for comment. A representative for the sheriff’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
The special election is anticipated to cost the county several million dollars. Jim Irizarry, the county’s assistant chief elections officer, said that while estimating costs for special elections is difficult due to limited precedent, a similar election (the 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall election) cost the county $3.7 million, or $8.44 per voter. There are currently 443,164 registered voters in the county.
