Calif. sheriff under fire after internal probe claims she had inappropriate relationship with top aide she hired for $246K job

A California sheriff is under fire after a new report alleged she hired a top aide with whom she had an inappropriate intimate relationship with — to the tune of more than $246,000 per year.San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus is facing calls to resign after the damning report outlined other accusations of abuse of power and intimidation as head of the department, on top of her hiring of Victor Aenlle to serve as her chief of staff.The release of the report also coincided with the arrest of a deputy who leads its Deputy Sheriff’s Association, with its union blasting the criminal charges as politically motivated by Corpus, according to reports.“Lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuses of authority are the hallmarks of the Corpus administration,” the scathing report states.“Sheriff Corpus should step down and Victor Aenlle’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office should be terminated immediately.“Nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized.”The report, conducted by a retired judge, asserted that Corpus and Aenlle have a personal relationship “beyond mere friendship.” The evidence indicates they had had an “intimate relationship,” according to the report.“This relationship has led Sheriff Corpus to relinquish control of the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office to Aenlle, someone who has far more experience as a Coldwell Banker associate real estate broker than he has in law enforcement,” according to the report.In July 2023, Aenlle was hired as executive director of administration, a civilian position, with an annual salary of $246,979 annually including benefits.He worked for her successful sheriff campaign in 2022 and then was hired to work on her transition team, but the county terminated that gig when officials found out Corpus and Aenlle went to Hawaii together, per the report.

The report also claims myriad other issues with Corpus, includi...