Rep. Darrell Issa1. Darrell Edward Issa was born in Cleveland on Nov. 1, 1953. His father was a truck salesman and X-ray technician, and his paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Lebanon.
2. In 1970, Issa left high school during his senior year to join the Army. He served for six years, eventually achieving the rank of captain.
3. In 1972, Issa pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge for carrying an unlicensed pistol. He and his brother were also arrested for car thefts in 1972 and 1980, but the charges were not pursued.
4. After earning his GED, Issa received a college ROTC scholarship and graduated with a business degree from Sienna Heights University in Michigan in 1976.
5. Issa founded Directed Electronics, a vehicle security systems manufacturing company, in 1982. He moved the business from Cleveland to Vista, Calif., in 1985 and served as CEO until 2000.
6. In 1998, Issa ran for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. Despite spending $9.8 million of his own money, he lost in the primary.
7. In 2000, Issa was elected to the seat of retiring Republican Rep. Ron Packard.
8. In 2001, federal authorities arrested and charged two members of the Jewish Defense League with plotting to blow up Issa's San Clemente office.
9. Issa and his wife, Kathy, whom he married in 1980, live in Vista and have one son.
10. In January 2011, Issa became the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
No comments:
Post a Comment