San Mateo sheriff’s allegations against county executive to be investigated

REDWOOD CITY — An independent firm will investigate allegations by San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus that County Executive Mike Callagy undermined her authority and limited the effectiveness of her office, elected officials said Tuesday.

“As part of its commitment to a full, transparent and independent investigation, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will hire an independent firm to investigate the allegations made by Sheriff Christina Corpus,” said Supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller on behalf of the board.

The supervisors said the board also directed the district attorney’s office to notify the California Attorney General’s Office about “matters relating to the sheriff’s office.”

In the complaint filed Sunday, Corpus said any investigation into Callagy “should include his attempted conspiracy against the elected sheriff, discrimination, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and persistent interference with the operations of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.”

Corpus said she would take the matter to the state level if the council failed to take action.

Corzo and Mueller said Monday that the board is reviewing the complaint and will “take the necessary time to determine the appropriate course of action.” Callagy, they noted, “rejects the sheriff’s allegations as false and defamatory” and “welcomes a full, transparent and independent investigation into any allegations against him.”

“County Executive Callagy has been an ethical public servant to San Mateo County for over 41 years,” the supervisors said Monday. “Unless proven otherwise, the board remains united in its full faith and confidence in his leadership.”

The complaint comes amid a separate investigation the board has ordered into “multiple personnel allegations” involving the sheriff’s office. Former Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell is leading the independent investigation.

The investigation took a surprising turn last week when Mueller revealed that Corpus had fired Deputy Ryan Monaghan, its third-in-command, after Cordell questioned him. The timing “suggests possible retaliation” against Monaghan for his role in the investigation, Mueller said Friday in a statement on behalf of the board.

Cordell was asked to investigate whether Corpus had taken retaliatory action against Monaghan.

In her complaint, Corpus said Monaghan was fired for “duplicity and failure to discharge the duties of the Sheriff’s Office,” not for agreeing to an interview with Cordell.