San Mateo County's embattled Sheriff Christina Corpus is at odds with the San Francisco police union, which has made it clear that it does not want the Sheriff at the upcoming event honoring women in law enforcement.
The decision comes less than two weeks before Sheriff Corpus faces voters in a special election. In it, voters will decide whether to give the Board of Supervisors the power to fire Corpus.
Corpus said she had RSVPd for the event, but the association had asked her not to attend.
"I didn't waste my time reading that letter because I don't play in the gutter," Corpus said. I was invited by a captain of the San Francisco police department. I haven't decided if I'm going to go or not, but I was invited."
The special election comes after an independent investigation found that Sheriff Corpus's department allegedly fosters a culture of racial and homophobic slurs, retaliation, and humiliation. Corpus had repeatedly denied the allegations.
"They want me out of office because I'm not conforming to their ways. I'm here for the residents," she said. "Over 82,000 people in this county voted. This is a power grab by the board of supervisors, and I will fight until the end."
People who once supported Corpus are now openly against her.
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"I believed in her promises of transparency and integrity," said Vanessa Lemus Tapia, a field coordinator for the movement against the Sheriff. "Over time we saw that was something that was complete opposite."
Tapia said she campaigned to get Corpus elected; now, she's a field coordinator for "YES on A," the measure set to give the board the right to fire the Sheriff.
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Tapia added that the independent investigation is why she no longer supports her.
"Her lack of accountability is preventing progress that is much needed in the sheriff's office," she said. "Being on her campaign team and now being on the opposite sides of things, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we campaign hard."
Even if Measure A passes, Corpus said she will still fight.
"We'll go to court. I'll fight for what's right," Corpus said. "There's a recall process, and that's how it should be, not by amending a charter so four people could take the vote away from San Mateo County, who voted me into office two years ago."
According to the county, about 62,000 ballots have already been submitted for the special election. Voters will have until March 4 to decide on Measure A.
