Adam Schiff

Adam Schiff
Born	Adam Bennett Schiff 22 6, 1960
Birthplace	Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	Lead impeachment manager in the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump; Chair of the House Intelligence Committee
Education	Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Children	2

Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from California since 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, Schiff previously represented California in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2024 and served in the California State Senate from 1996 to 2000. Before entering elected office, he worked as a federal prosecutor, serving as an assistant United States attorney from 1987 to 1993. In the House of Representatives, Schiff became one of the most prominent figures in national security and intelligence oversight, serving on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 2015 to 2023 and chairing it from 2019 to 2023. He gained national attention as the lead impeachment manager during the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in 2020. In the 2024 election cycle, Schiff won the open California Senate seat, defeating fellow Democratic representatives Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in the primary and Republican Steve Garvey in the general election, succeeding Laphonza Butler. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Schiff to the Senate on December 9, 2024, to complete the remaining term ahead of his full elected service.

Early Life

Adam Bennett Schiff was born on June 22, 1960, in Framingham, Massachusetts. He grew up in a family that would later relocate to the western United States. Details regarding his parents and siblings remain limited in the available record, but Schiff has spoken publicly about his upbringing in the context of his political career and public service.

Schiff's family eventually moved to California, where he would build his career in both law and politics. The values instilled during his formative years in Massachusetts and his subsequent education at elite institutions played a significant role in shaping his approach to public service, particularly his focus on law, national security, and foreign affairs.

Education

Schiff attended Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. His legal training at two of the most competitive academic institutions in the United States prepared him for a career that would begin in federal prosecution before transitioning into electoral politics.

Career

Early Legal Career

After completing his legal education at Harvard, Schiff embarked on a career in federal law enforcement. He served as an assistant United States attorney from 1987 to 1993, prosecuting cases on behalf of the federal government. His work as a federal prosecutor provided him with extensive courtroom experience and a grounding in criminal and constitutional law that would inform his later legislative career.

Following his tenure as a federal prosecutor, Schiff made his first foray into electoral politics with an unsuccessful bid for the California State Assembly in 1994. The defeat proved to be a temporary setback rather than a career-ending loss.

California State Senate (1996–2000)

In 1996, Schiff was elected to the California State Senate, representing the 21st district. He succeeded Newton Russell and served from December 2, 1996, to November 30, 2000. During his time in the state legislature, Schiff established a legislative record that positioned him for a run at federal office. He was succeeded in the state Senate by Jack Scott.

United States House of Representatives (2001–2024)

Election to Congress

In 2000, Schiff ran for the United States House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Republican James E. Rogan. The race was one of the most expensive and closely watched congressional contests in the country that year. Schiff won the election and took office on January 3, 2001, beginning a tenure in the House that would span more than two decades.

Over the course of his time in the House, Schiff represented several California congressional districts as redistricting altered boundaries. His constituency included areas in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, including portions of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and West Hollywood.

Reelection Campaigns

Schiff consistently won reelection by significant margins throughout his House career. In 2010, he held his seat comfortably. In 2012, he again won handily, as did other incumbents in the region. In the 2014 midterm elections, Schiff once again secured an easy victory in his political race.

Foreign Affairs and National Security

Schiff served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he focused on international relations and diplomacy. One of his most sustained legislative efforts involved the recognition of the Armenian genocide. Schiff repeatedly introduced and advocated for legislation calling on the United States government to formally recognize the mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide. This issue was of particular significance to his congressional district, which had a substantial Armenian-American population.

Schiff also engaged with issues related to energy policy and the geopolitics of oil. In 2007, he was involved in discussions regarding energy security and international oil markets.

In 2013, Schiff introduced legislation to reform the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the post-9/11 authorization that provided the legal basis for the United States' ongoing military operations against terrorist organizations. Schiff argued that the AUMF had been stretched far beyond its original intent and needed to be updated to reflect the evolving nature of the threat.

Press Freedom Legislation

Schiff was a supporter of press freedom legislation. President Barack Obama signed the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, a measure that Schiff supported, which aimed to promote and protect the freedom of the press around the world. The act was named after Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002.

House Intelligence Committee

Schiff joined the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and became its ranking member on January 3, 2015, succeeding Dutch Ruppersberger. In this role, he served as the top Democrat on the committee during a period of increasing partisan tension over intelligence matters.

When Democrats regained the majority in the House following the 2018 midterm elections, Schiff assumed the chairmanship of the Intelligence Committee on January 3, 2019, succeeding Devin Nunes. As chairman, Schiff oversaw the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and related matters. His tenure as chair was marked by sharp partisan disagreements, particularly with Republican members who accused him of bias, while Schiff maintained that the committee was pursuing legitimate oversight responsibilities.

Schiff served as chairman until January 3, 2023, when Republican Kevin McCarthy, who had become Speaker of the House following the Republican takeover of the chamber, removed Schiff from the Intelligence Committee. McCarthy's decision was characterized as a retaliatory measure by Democrats, while Republicans framed it as a correction of what they viewed as abuses of the committee's authority. Schiff was succeeded as chairman by Republican Mike Turner.

Benghazi Select Committee

In 2014, Schiff was appointed to serve on the House Select Committee on Benghazi, established to investigate the 2012 attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four Americans including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Schiff was among Democrats who expressed skepticism about the necessity of the select committee, arguing that existing investigations had already examined the incident.

Impeachment Manager

Schiff gained his highest national profile as the lead impeachment manager during the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in early 2020. The House had voted to impeach Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, stemming from his interactions with Ukrainian officials. As lead manager, Schiff presented the House's case before the Senate, delivering lengthy arguments that drew significant media attention. Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate.

Prior to the Trump impeachment, Schiff had served as joint-lead impeachment manager in two other impeachment proceedings involving federal judges, giving him experience with the impeachment process before the high-profile presidential trial.

Local Issues and Constituent Services

In addition to his national security and foreign affairs work, Schiff engaged with local issues affecting his district. In 2012, he announced that he would reintroduce legislation to address helicopter noise, a persistent concern for residents of the greater Los Angeles area. By 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration moved to create a public complaint system for helicopter noise, an outcome Schiff had advocated for.

2024 Senate Campaign and Election

Following the announcement by Dianne Feinstein's successor, Laphonza Butler, that she would not seek a full term, Schiff entered the 2024 race for the United States Senate seat from California. Under California's top-two primary system, all candidates regardless of party affiliation compete in a single primary, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.

The primary featured a competitive field that included fellow Democratic members of Congress Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, as well as Republican Steve Garvey, a former Major League Baseball player. Schiff advanced through the primary, and the general election contest was between Schiff and Garvey. Schiff won the general election decisively, securing the Senate seat.

On December 9, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Schiff to the Senate to complete the remaining days of the term ahead of his full elected service, allowing him to begin accumulating seniority. He succeeded Laphonza Butler as the junior senator from California, serving alongside senior senator Alex Padilla.

United States Senate (2024–present)

Upon taking office in the Senate, Schiff quickly engaged with major policy issues. In January 2026, Schiff and fellow California senator Alex Padilla visited a newly established ICE detention center in California, a former prison in Kern County that had been converted to house approximately 1,400 detainees. The visit drew attention to the expansion of immigration enforcement operations in California.

In February 2026, Schiff joined a group of Senate Democrats in pressing the chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on prediction markets, expressing concerns about financial contracts that could incentivize physical harm.

Also in February 2026, Schiff announced that he would boycott President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, becoming one of a growing number of Democratic lawmakers to do so. Schiff stated that the president was violating the law and the Constitution, and indicated that he would instead participate in an alternative event. It was reported to be the first time Schiff had skipped the annual address during his career in Congress.

Personal Life

Schiff has two children. He resides in California and has represented communities in the greater Los Angeles area for much of his political career. Schiff has developed a reputation as an avid cyclist and fitness enthusiast. In 2010, he was noted for participating in triathlons. He has participated in long-distance charity cycling events, including a ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. In 2014, Schiff participated in the AIDS/LifeCycle ride, a multi-day cycling event from San Francisco to Los Angeles that raises funds for HIV/AIDS services and awareness.

Recognition

Schiff's role as lead impeachment manager during the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump brought him significant national and international media attention. His presentations during the Senate trial were broadcast live on major television networks and became the subject of extensive commentary and analysis. The impeachment proceedings elevated his profile within the Democratic Party and made him one of the most recognized members of Congress in the United States.

His long tenure on the House Intelligence Committee, including his service as both ranking member and chairman, established him as one of the Democratic Party's leading voices on intelligence and national security matters. His removal from the committee by Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023 itself became a significant news story and was viewed by many Democrats as a politically motivated action.

Schiff's successful 2024 Senate campaign further demonstrated his political standing within California and the broader Democratic electorate. In a primary field that included well-known Democratic representatives Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, Schiff emerged as the top vote-getter, reflecting his name recognition and fundraising ability built over more than two decades in Congress.