Former Ally Testifies About Evidence of San Mateo County Sheriff's Romantic Relationship That She Denies

The removal hearing for San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus centers on allegations of a romantic relationship with her chief of staff, Victor Aenlle. Testimony on Day 3 revealed that Corpus took Aenlle on a trip to Hawaii in September 2022, contradicting her claims of no romantic involvement. Witness Valerie Barnes testified to observing intimate interactions between the two and mentioned Aenlle allegedly gave Corpus $12,000 for diamond earrings. Corpus admitted to traveling with Aenlle to help calm her autistic son but insisted their relationship remained professional. She defended Aenlle, asserting her belief in his vision for policing and her right to choose her team.

Witness statements included text messages expressing affection and inappropriate workplace comments made by Aenlle. The hearing is set to conclude next week, with a retired judge making a recommendation on Corpus's potential removal from office. Separately, Corpus faces a civil grand jury trial related to these allegations.