Who is Adam Schiff?

Meet the committee chair at the center of the whistleblower investigation that turned D.C. upside down.
By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Adam Schiff

By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Adam Schiff

Who Is Adam Schiff?

US Congressman Adam Schiff, a member of the Democratic Party, currently serves as Chairman for the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He represents California’s 28th district including Burbank, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Glendale, and West Hollywood.

Congressman Schiff graduated from Stanford University, and earned a law degree from Harvard. Preceding his political career Schiff served as a federal prosecutor with the US Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles where he secured a conviction for the first FBI agent ever indicted for espionage. He also completed one term as Senator in California’s 21st State Senate District where he chaired the Senate Committee on Juvenile Justice, the Joint Committee on the Arts and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

How Long Has Adam Schiff Been A Congressman?

Schiff has been a member of the US Congress for 20 years. In 2001, he defeated two-term Republican incumbent, James Rogan, to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. In November 2002, the district was renamed and Schiff defeated Republican challenger Jim Scileppi to serve the 29th District.

As an established incumbent, he defeated four more challengers in eight years. District lines were subsequently redrawn in 2010, and Schiff defeated Republican Phil Jennerjahn to represent California’s 28th District. Schiff defeated Independent challenger Steve Stoke in 2014, Republican Lenore Solis in 2016 and Republican Johnny Nalbandian in 2018.

What Committees Does Adam Schiff Belong To?

Congressman Schiff chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The ranking Democratic member of the committee since 2015, Schiff took control of the gavel in 2019 just after Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm election. Schiff was first assigned to the committee in 2008.

The committee is responsible for oversight of the United States intelligence community, a group of 17 agencies including the intelligence branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, components of Homeland Security and the agencies within the Department of Defense.

Presently, Congressman Schiff is on a leave of absence from the House Appropriations Committee where he served on the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee as well as the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

In 2015 Schiff also served on the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi.

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Adam Schiff’s Record As The Chair Of The House Intelligence Committee.

In Schiff’s first year as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, he’s managed to head several high-profile investigations.

Read more about each below:

Whistleblower Investigation

On September 26, 2019, the House Intelligence Committee released a declassified whistleblower complaint to the public. The complaint alleged that President Donald Trump sought to “advance his personal interests” by pressuring “ the Ukranian leader (Volodymyr Zelensky) to take actions to help the President’s 2020 re-election bid”.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry on September 24. A day later the President released a summarized transcript of his call with Zelensky that would verify some of the accusations detailed in the complaint.

Schiff continues to lead the committee’s ongoing investigation into the matter. The acting Director of National Security testified before the committee in a public hearing while the White House prohibited others, like the president’s personal attorney Rudy Guiliani, from appearing. The Trump administration originally blocked US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland from testifying. Subsequent to a subpoena from the committee Sondland has agreed to meet with the committee.

Muller Report – Counterintelligence Investigation

In June Schiff said the committee would hold hearings on Volume One of the Mueller Report. The hearings were to be focused on the counterintelligence investigation into Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 Presidential election. Schiff said, “We have not been able to get a clear answer yet from the intelligence community or the FBI as to whether that investigation is still open, whether that investigation mushroomed into a set of other counterintelligence investigations, whether it was closed at some time.”

Climate Change

The committee held a hearing on June 5 to investigate potential, national security implications of climate change. The White House blocked Rod Schoonover’s, a State Department official, written testimony to the committee. According to the Washington Post, the White House Office of Legislative Affairs permitted Schoonover to appear but would not let him submit written testimony. The document warned that “national security implications of climate change” are of major concern.

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When Is Adam Schiff Up For Re-election?

All members of the US House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are up for re-election every even year. Schiff will defend his seat for the eleventh time in the 2020 general election. Thus far, Schiff is facing more challenges than he’s seen since the 2012 contest. The Los Angeles Daily News reported in July that Republicans Jon Hollis and Eric Early, Democrats Maebe A. Girl and Akinyemi Agbede and Independent Jennifer Barbosa are all hoping to unseat Schiff. A popular incumbent, Schiff has a clear advantage. He won the 2018 election with just over 78% of the vote.

Personal Details About Adam Schiff

  • Age: 59
  • Birthday: June 22, 1960
  • Religion: Jewish
  • Spouse: Eve Schiff
  • Hometown: Framingham, Massachusetts
  • Education: Stanford University, Harvard Law School
  • Twitter: @RepAdamSchiff

The Rantt Rundown

Adam Schiff is a 10-term member of the US House of Representatives who has represented three different districts. A former prosecutor, the powerful chair of the House Intelligence Committee is now a key investigative figurehead in the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. A popular representative in his home district, Schiff is the clear frontrunner in a crowded 2020 field of potential candidates in his home district.

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Rantt 101 // Adam Schiff / Congress / House Intelligence