Adam Schiff Snared in Defense Contractor Bribery Scheme … but he has company
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) is catching heat for steering millions of dollars to defense contractors, who then turned around and donated your tax dollars to Adam Schiff. Schiff is currently in a three-way race for the US Senate in 2024 in California, and his opponents are gleefully highlighting the payoffs. It’s always fun to watch when prominent Democrats are running against each other and suddenly begin airing all the dirty laundry like this.
In addition to Adam Schiff, the following elected officials (a small sampling) have been snared in defense contractor bribery schemes:
- Duncan Hunter: In 2017, Duncan Hunter, a Republican congressman from California, and his wife, Margaret, were indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, campaign finance violations, and falsification of records. The indictment alleged that the Hunters had spent over $250,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses, including travel, meals, and shopping. In 2019, Hunter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced to 11 months in prison. Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to eight months in prison.
- Corrine Brown: In 2016, Corrine Brown, a Democratic congresswoman from Florida, was convicted of 18 counts of fraud, racketeering, and tax evasion. The indictment alleged that Brown and her co-defendants had solicited and received bribes from businesses and individuals in exchange for official favors. Brown was sentenced to five years in prison.
- Jeff Miller: In 2013, Jeff Miller, a Republican congressman from Florida, was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud. The indictment alleged that Miller had accepted bribes from a defense contractor in exchange for steering government contracts to the company. Miller pleaded not guilty and was acquitted by a jury.
- William "Icebox" Jefferson: In 2009, William Jefferson, a Democratic congressman from Louisiana, was convicted of racketeering, bribery, and money laundering. The indictment alleged that Jefferson had accepted bribes from businesses in exchange for official favors. Jefferson was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
These are just a few examples of elected officials who have been snared in defense contractor bribery schemes. The Department of Justice has a long history of prosecuting these types of cases, and it is likely that more elected officials will be charged in the future.
Schiff, of course, was the main Russia collusion hoaxer in the House of Representatives when President Trump was in office. No one likes him. He has no friends. His life is hollow and pointless. In other words, he’s a typical politician.
Schiff claimed for years that proof of Russia collusion was hiding in plain sight. It was “more than circumstantial.” And no, you could never see the secret evidence that he had. There was never any proof, because the whole thing was a hoax from Hillary Clinton’s losing 2016 campaign.
With Adam Schiff, however, we now have some proof that really does look more than circumstantial. It’s not hidden, and it’s not supposition.
Between 2001 and 2007, Schiff earmarked $10 million in taxpayer money to five companies that were developing military technologies. Those same companies then shelled out more than $64,000 to Schiff’s political campaigns.
Schiff earmarked a $1 million contract for Eureka Aerospace. The company was working on military technology to stop vehicles that evaded checkpoints in Iraq and Afghanistan. The CEO of Eureka and members of his household contributed $34,500 to Schiff’s campaigns between 2006 and 2020.
Two companies called Smiths Detection and Phasebridge were awarded a $9 million earmark from Schiff to develop chemical weapons sensors for all of those chemical weapons that Saddam Hussein did not have. The two companies retained a lobbyist named Paul Magliocchetti. When Schiff steered the money to Smiths and Phasebridge, Maglocchetti suddenly donated $8,500 to Schiff’s reelection campaign. Maglocchetti was later sent to prison for more than two years for making illegal campaign contributions.
Tanner Research received $1 million, and Schiff got $15,800 back. Orbits Lightwave received $800,000 in taxpayer money and donated $3,700 back to Schiff. A company called Superprotonic received $492,000 and gave Schiff $1,500 in contributions.
To quote Adam Schiff, it’s almost like it’s hiding in plain sight! Which brings us to another famous saying from Willie Sutton, a notorious American bank robber, famously said, "Why do they rob banks, that's where the money is." He is credited with robbing over 100 banks during his career, and he was known for his meticulous planning and daring heists. Sutton was also known for his dry sense of humor, and his quote about robbing banks is one of his most famous.
Sutton's quote is often used to illustrate the concept of focusing on the most obvious solution to a problem. In the case of bank robbery, the most obvious solution is to rob a bank, because that's where the money is. However, Sutton's quote is also a reminder that the most obvious solution is not always the best solution. Adam "dirtbag" Schiff's quote "it's hiding in plain sight" is the same but different!
Steve Ellis, the director of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said in a press release, “We were always concerned about the pay-to-play aspects. If you’re getting a campaign contribution and getting your earmark for that same company or for a client of that lobbyist, it has that perception.”
PIVOT MAN IN A CIRCLE JERK
It has the perception of a circular bribery scheme is what it has. A Member of Congress steers your tax dollars to a company, and that company then steers a portion of your tax dollars back to the politician. Unfortunately, it’s “legal” when they do it this way, despite the fact that it is an obvious quid pro quo.
Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) are both running against Schiff for California’s open US Senate seat next year. Both Porter and Lee are hitting Schiff over this obvious pay-to-play nonsense. This is ironic since the whole point of getting elected to a US Senate seat is operate pay-to-play schemes with taxpayer money. Schiff seems like he’ll fit in perfectly if he wins. Well Feinstein is gone to political heaven and another loser has taken her place as a maggiordomo.
It doesn’t even look like anyone is filing an ethics complaint against Adam Schiff over this. It’s such a routine thing in Congress these days that no one bats an eye at it.
