Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) has been representing the 49th District of California since 2001. As a member of Congress, Rep. Issa has enjoyed a position of power in Washington. What has he done with that power, may cost him that very seat. He currently faces an election battle that many feel he will lose on Tuesday. It’s interesting in many ways. As the tension of a difficult election mounts, many things come out of the shadows.
For example, special interests spend multi-millions investing in an elected official so they can enjoy the benefits of cronyism that a cozy relationship like that affords. When that “Public Servant” is suddenly in jeopardy of losing his powerful seat, those special interests will stop at nothing to save their number one mouthpiece. That’s what’s happening with Rep. Darrell Issa and his friends in Silicon Valley are desperate to save him. They are spending big to try to save his seat at the DC table.
Issa has made a name for himself as the #1 guy to defend the big technology firms in Silicon Valley. He was the former head of what is now the Consumer Technology Association(CTA). Issa is known to be in close with big names like Google and Apple and they are spending millions to try to save their man.
Sometimes when you pay to play you get burned.
For all the millions and the back room deals and big spenders, eventually it all hits the little guy. In baseball, it’s known as “small ball”. For instance, if you’re in the biggest game of your life, like the World Series, focus on the basics…hence small ball. Throw, catch, run. It’s simple. In politics, small ball is shaking hands in the coffee shops. It’s helping the factory in your district stay open. It’s defending the little guy who voted for you who likes freely streaming music. That becomes much harder after a company that owns half the world gives you millions and thinks all that music shouldn’t be so free. Bye, bye, little guy in the coffee shop.
The CTA and Issa’s big friends are pumping millions into California politics to influence the outcome. One reason is they are for a patent reform that will positively affect their bottom line. However, it will negatively impact Qualcomm from San Diego who employs many of Issa’s constituents. So, when your Representative in Congress is defending Big Tech over the hard-working folks in the District, it gets much harder to keep your seat, no matter how many millions are spent.
If Issa loses, he will likely want his old job back as head of the CTA. That mean the current head, Gary Shapiro, will be out. The CTA won’t have Issa on the inside, but he will still be useful to them as a strong man full of connections to other shady members of congress all too happy to be invested in. Issa has shown a proclivity for doing whatever is necessary to come out on top, so don’t cry for him if he loses his seat.
He is one of the wealthiest members of congress with a very colorful past. Issa has been accused of burning down a building that contained his business and claiming the insurance money. He has been indicted for stealing a car, as well as, illegally carrying a weapon concealed.
As a member of congress, pushing for a new tax on streaming music for the power players at the CTA is a lot more lucrative than stealing or car committing insurance fraud.
The only problem comes when Joe Six Pack realizes that he’s the one getting the shaft and decides to vote for someone else. As the final days of the election tick by, look for the big tech firms of Silicon Valley and the CTA to up the ante in their crusade to save their number one spokesman and Washington insider Rep. Darrell Issa.
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