First reported by Axios, Rep Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is lobbying to be named California’s next Attorney General, plausibly seeking to set the stage for a future run at higher office.
The Harvard Law School Graduate has likely taken notice of the state’s top legal office for its potential to springboard his already successful political career even farther, with each of the past three California AGs: Jerry Brown, Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra, moving directly to a higher calling from their post.
The 60-year-old Rep. Adam Schiff is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. House of Representative and currently sits for California’s fighting 28th. His alleged interest could likely point toward a run at the Senate seat of Democratic stalwart Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who's slated for reelection in 2024 and could very well decide to end her illustrious career by that time.
To make matters more stirring, according to multiple sources, longtime Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is allegedly in full support of her close ally’s possible change of address. She herself is possibly eyeing the inherent advantage of having a friend with a path to a high(er) office.
For the meantime, Rep. Schiff’s future as California’s next attorney general remains hypothetical, dependent on two dominos falling. First, the AG's office must be vacated by its current occupant, Xavier Becerra, which will occur if he accepts Biden’s offer to serve as his administration’s Health and Human Services Secretary. And two, Schiff must subsequently be appointed to the office by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
While it is uncertain whether both of those scenarios will indeed occur, some argue it is much clearer that Schiff has a broad bend toward shrewdly calculated political action.
Schiff, the ranking member on the House Intel Committee, cemented himself in the national conversation during his 3-year crusade traveling the cable news circuit and stroking the flames of the Trump-Russia conspiracy. Many have accused the committee chair of blatant partisanship for such comments as claiming of collusion that “more than circumstantial evidence exists," when in fact, there existed at best circumstantial evidence.
Many found further support for their mistrust of the native New Englander during his time leading the House’s case against then President Trump in the impeachment trial of January 2020. Instances such as his mischaracterization of the evidence pertaining to Lev Parnas and his earlier dramatic reading of the infamous Trump transcript shine as notable examples of his bias.
Regardless of the prior allegations of lying and partisan gamesmanship against him, Rep. Schiff, with the support of speaker Pelosi, looks to be positioning himself to have a statewide relationship with the voters of California leading into the California Senate race in 2024.
It remains impossible to know for sure what will occur and if Schiff’s path will lead him to the AG’s office or beyond. But what may be predictable at this time, is the likely partisan power-chasing behavior of Schiff himself.