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Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who is running for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat, earmarked some $10 million to go to defense contractors who have donated to his campaigns, according to a report published Monday by Politico.
Schiff, who is running against fellow Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee for Feinstein’s seat, allocated more than $10 million in taxpayer funds to five companies for the development of military technologies from 2001 to 2007, according to a Politico analysis of earmark records, which also revealed that these companies had contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his campaign.
“We were always concerned about the pay-to-play aspects,” Steve Ellis, who runs the group “Taxpayers of Common Sense,” wrote regarding Schiff’s earmarks in a statement to Politico. “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.”
The Daily Caller added:
The largest donor earmarks by Schiff, totaling $6 million, went to Smiths Detection, which was developing chemical weapons sensors for the military, while another $3 million went to Phasebridge, Inc., which was developing a Naval radar system.
Both of these groups retained a lobbyist, Paul Magliocchetti, who around the same time donated $8,500 to Schiff’s campaign committees. Magliocchetti was later convicted on federal charges of illegal campaign contributions and served 27 months in prison, Politico reported.
Schiff also allocated $1 million in earmarks for Eureka Aerospace, a firm involved in the development of military technology aimed at intercepting vehicles evading checkpoints. Notably, Schiff’s campaign received contributions totaling $34,500 from the CEO of Eureka Aerospace and other members of his household, spanning the period from 2006 to 2020, Politico reported.
“Schiff earmarked an additional $1 million to Tanner Research, Inc., which was conducting research on detecting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which killed many U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq. Tanner’s CEO donated $15,800 to Schiff from 2003 to 2012,” The Daily Caller noted, citing the report.
“Apart from these groups, Schiff also steered $800,000 to Orbits Lightwave, Inc. and $492,000 to Superprotononic, which were researching laser technology and solid acid fuel cells, respectively. Orbits is a contractor for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) while Superprotonic, which was reconstituted as SAFCell, Inc. in 2009, is a materials supplier to the U.S. Army,” Just the News continued.
According to Politico, the founders of both companies made campaign contributions of $3,700 and $1,500 to Schiff’s campaign. Schiff’s rival, Porter, released a video on Twitter, now known as X, on July 25, which seemed to subtly criticize Schiff for his use of earmarks.
“Instead of neutral experts looking at where the need is greatest, politicians up for reelection set taxpayer dollars aside for projects they choose for their own reasons,” Porter said. “The solution to Washington gridlock isn’t misdirected spending; it’s an end to the dark money.”
Lee, by contrast, has defended the use of earmarks.
“I am not going to neglect my constituents, nor the state, by not bringing in as many federal projects — these are tax dollars. My constituents in the state deserve their tax dollars to be returned to the state,” she told Spectrum NY1.
Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has named a black lesbian resident of Maryland, Laphonza Butler, to fill Feinstein’s seat in the meantime, which immediately gives her a distinct advantage over the other candidates.
“As we mourn the enormous loss of Senator Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for — reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence — have never been under greater assault,” Newsom said of the former aide to now-Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington D.C.,” he added.
