Darrell Issa
RepublicanU.S. Representative, CA-48| Age | 72 (b. 1953-11-01) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2001-01-03 (~25 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | Lebanese American (paternal, of Lebanese Christian immigrant descent); mother of German and Bohemian/Czech descent |
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox Christian (Antiochian Orthodox); raised by a Maronite Catholic father and Latter-day Saint (Mormon) mother |
| Education | B.A. in Business Administration, Siena Heights University (Adrian, Michigan), 1976; also attended Kent State University, Stark campus |
| Prior occupation | Businessman; co-founder and CEO of Directed Electronics, a major manufacturer of automobile anti-theft/security products (e.g., the Viper car alarm); controlled Steal Stopper car alarm company |
| Military service | Yes: United States Army (Captain) |
| Birthplace | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Marital status | Divorced (second marriage ended March 2021) — Kathy Stanton (married 1980, divorced March 2021); first wife Marcia Enyart (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
| Residence | Vista, California |
Pending research: languages · notable relatives · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2000 |
| Previous offices | U.S. Representative, California's 48th congressional district (2001-2003) · U.S. Representative, California's 49th congressional district (2003-2019) · U.S. Representative, California's 50th congressional district (2021-2023) |
| Committees | Committee on Foreign Affairs (Vice Chair) · Committee on the Judiciary · Committee on Science, Space, and Technology |
| Caucuses | Republican Study Committee · Congressional Constitution Caucus · Climate Solutions Caucus · Congressional Armenian Caucus · Congressional Western Caucus |
| Leadership | Chair, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (2011-2015) · Vice Chair, House Committee on Foreign Affairs (119th Congress) · Chair, Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet (119th Congress) |
| Ideology | Conservative Republican; Heritage Action scorecard 83% for the 117th Congress |
| Signature legislation | Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) of 2013 - signed into law May 9, 2014 · Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) · Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA reform) · FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2014 · CLASSICS Act (2017) - music royalties for pre-1972 recordings |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $283,000,000–$400,000,000 (2024) · estimate
| JP Morgan Chase Financial structured note (T-IDN) | other · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| GS Finance Corp structured note (T-IDN) | other · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | fund · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) | fund · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| UBS Bank USA Core Savings | other · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| Ocean Collection LP, Carlsbad, California (commercial real estate) | real_estate · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| Washington, D.C. condominium (Kalorama) | real_estate · $3,100,000–$3,100,000 · 2024 |
Top donors: American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) ($139,702 (2023-2024 cycle)) · Datron World Communications (top donor to Darrell Issa Victory Fund, 2018) ($50,000)
Top industries: Pro-Israel · Real estate · Retired · Securities & investment
Scandals & crimes ledger
convicted — 1972 guilty plea to possession of an unregistered firearm
In 1972, after being stopped for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, a police officer noticed a firearm in Darrell Issa's glove compartment. He pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm and was sentenced to six months' probation and a small fine. Issa has stated the record was subsequently expunged. This predates his political career.
dismissed — 1972 Maserati theft indictment (charges dismissed)
In 1972, a grand jury indicted Darrell Issa (along with his brother William) for the theft of a red Maserati from a Cleveland-area car dealership. Prosecutors later dropped the charge and the case was dismissed; Issa maintained it was a case of mistaken identity. This predates his political career.
dismissed — 1979-1980 grand theft auto indictment (charges dropped)
In late 1979 Issa's brother William sold Darrell's Mercedes to a San Jose dealership using identification bearing Darrell's name. Both brothers were subsequently indicted for grand theft auto; the prosecution dropped the case in August 1980 after Issa repurchased the vehicle. Issa maintained he was a victim. This predates his political career.
dismissed — Indictment: Grand Theft Auto — Mercedes Insurance Fraud Scheme (California, 1980) — Dismissed
On December 28, 1979, William Issa sold Darrell Issa's red 1976 Mercedes-Benz to a San Jose dealer for $16,000. Darrell Issa then reportedly collected or attempted to collect insurance on the 'stolen' vehicle. Prosecutors suspected an insurance fraud scheme and both brothers were indicted for grand theft auto. The prosecution dropped the case in August 1980. Darrell later repurchased the car for $17,000.
settled — Civil Lawsuit: Car Accident Personal Injury Suit (1981) — Settled
Following a 1981 car crash, the other motorist filed a civil lawsuit against Issa seeking $20,000 in damages. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. No criminal charges arose from this incident.
settled — 1981 car-accident lawsuit (settled out of court)
In January 1981, Issa was involved in a vehicle collision in Cleveland. The other driver, Juanita Martin, alleged she suffered neck and back injuries and sued Issa for $20,000. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. This was a civil matter that predates his political career. The $20,000 figure is the amount sued for, not the settlement amount.
settled — Civil Insurance Dispute: Quantum Enterprises / Steal Stopper Warehouse Fire Settlement (Ohio, 1982) business
On September 7, 1982, the warehouse used by Issa's car-alarm businesses Quantum Enterprises and Steal Stopper in Maple Heights, Ohio burned down. Less than three weeks before the fire, Issa and business partner Miles Hunsinger had raised the facility's fire insurance from approximately $100,000 to $462,000. Investigators noted suspicious burn patterns consistent with use of an accelerant and fires originating in two locations. Issa allegedly removed computers and financial files from the building days before the fire. The insurer St. Paul refused to pay the full claim; Issa filed suit seeking approximately $175,000, and the case was settled out of court for approximately $20,000. No criminal charges were ever filed.
dismissed — FEC MUR 7815: Soft Money Solicitation Complaint — Dismissed (2020–2021)
End Citizens United and Tiffany Muller filed a complaint (MUR 7815) with the FEC in October 2020, alleging that Darrell Issa for Congress violated the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act by soliciting 'soft money' in connection with a fundraiser for California's 50th Congressional District race. After investigation, the FEC General Counsel found insufficient evidence of violation. The Commission voted 5-1 to dismiss the complaint on other grounds. The file was officially closed on August 30, 2021.