San Mateo Co. supervisors question firing in sheriff's office during outside investigation

SAN MATEO, Calif. - A statement issued Friday on behalf of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors said Sheriff Christina Corpus may have dismissed Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan as retaliation for participating in an outside investigation of the Sheriff's Office.

Corpus responded that the board "is completely out of line" and "pure speculation."

The dueling statements are the result of a dispute between the county Sheriff's Office and its rank-and-file deputies. The union has complained that the Sheriff's Office changed its minimum staffing level policy without union input and refused to meet about an expiring overtime policy.

The dispute captured the attention of the Board of Supervisors, which has expressed support for the union and hired an outside investigator, retired California superior court Judge LaDoris Cordell, to look into the discord. 

Supervisor Ray Mueller released a statement Friday that he said was on behalf of the board.

"Monaghan had been interviewed by Judge Cordell in her investigation of the allegations related to the Sheriff's Office," Mueller said.

"The timing of the sheriff's action and information provided by Assistant Sheriff Monaghan suggest possible retaliation against Assistant Sheriff Monaghan for participating in Judge Cordell's independent investigation," Mueller said.

The board, Mueller said, "is prepared to take all legal actions necessary to preserve the integrity of the independent investigation and to protect other witnesses interviewed by Judge Cordell. The investigation will continue and will not be obstructed."

Corpus said Mueller's statement "is completely out of line" and "pure speculation."

"He should have the facts before weighing in on a subject as important as this. It appears he is just trying to get publicity, and that behavior is inappropriate, unprofessional and needs to stop," Corpus said.

"When the people of San Mateo County elected me as sheriff, they entrusted me to make decisions about who I include on my executive staff. The coach picks the team. Period," she said.