Darrell Issa was born in Cleveland, Ohio 48 years ago. Issa is one of six Congressmen who are of Arab heritage. Darrell is the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, and whose father worked two jobs to keep food on Darrell and his five brothers and sisters dinner table. At the age of 17 Issa enlisted in the Army and rose to the ranks of becoming an officer, his expertise was in bomb disposal. .
Before moving in to politics Issa was a successful entrepreneur who founded Directed Electronics and built the company into the industry-leader in automobile convenience, audio and security products. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association and a former Governor of the Electronic Industries Alliance. He has also served as a Director of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee, the San Diego Economic Development Association and the Greater San Diego County Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, Issa received Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year Award. .
Congressman Issa's political career started in 1996 when he co-chaired the campaign to pass the California Civil Rights Initiative, the history-making measure that ended the granting of racial and gender preferences and quotas in state contracting and college admissions. In 1998 he made a strong run for the United States Senate but lost narrowly to Matt Fong. Than in 2000, Issa was elected to Congress to succeed Representative Ron Packard of California's 48th District (since the 2000 Consensus the district has been renumbered the 49th district). He sits on four influential committees: the House International Relations Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Small Business Committee. He is Vice Chairman of the House Republican Policy Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
Darrell Issa's priorities as the Congressman of California's 48th District include restoring confidence in the Social Security System, strengthening the nation's defense, cutting taxes, reducing the national debt, and increasing the standards of education in this country.
That might have been the beginning and end of the California recall except for the fact that on May 6, 2003 a businessman and state representative named Darrell Issa gave new life to the movement with the first of many six-figure contributions. Before the recall was over, Darrell Issa had contributed over one million dollars of his own money towards the effort. ...
