Darrell Issa Profile

Darrell Issa is the representative from California’s 49th congressional district, which is north of San Diego in the southern part of the state; he has represented this district since 2001 (it changed numbers, but it’s the same basic district). He is one of the wealthiest people in congress, with an estimated wealth of over $250 million. He is a Republican, and VoteView ranks him as the 99th most conservative member of the House.

Issa dropped out of high school and joined the army; while in the army, a fellow officer accused him of car theft, a charge Issa denied. He was later arrested in a different car theft, but this charge was also dropped. He got his GED degree and later attended Kent State University. He started an immensely successful business, then he ran for US Senate in 2008, but lost in the primary. In 2000 he ran for the House and has been there since, usually winning by large margins

His political views are mostly conservative, in line with tehe Republican party. His most notable view is a desire to investigate many aspects of the Obama administration.

Controversies about Darrell Issa

The NY Daily News reported on some of his objections to the federal government giving New York City money after 9/11. In addition to the three alleged car thefts, Issa has been accused of filling his oversight committee with staff from industries that could benefit from the committee’s rulings.  He wrote a letter to 150 businesses and trade associations asking them what regulations they disliked. He has been accused of arson, when there was a suspicious fire in a factory he owned, right after he had stripped his office of some vital computer equipment (this was before laptops). Issa bought bonds from Goldman Sachs while blocking investigation of that firm; later, a former Goldman Sachs VP changed his name and now works for Issa.

We should remember that Issa has not been convicted of any crime. Nevertheless, there are a lot of legal controversies in his past.