'I'll stand up to anybody': U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff outlines priorities in race

STAY OUT OF THE RACE AND WAIT TO ENDORSE ANOTHER CANDIDATE. THE RACE FOR THE U.S. SENATE SEAT FORMERLY HELD BY DIANNE FEINSTEIN, PITS THREE PROMINENT DEMOCRATS AGAINST EACH OTHER, ALL OF THEM CURRENTLY REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA IN CONGRESS. CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF IS BEST KNOWN FOR TAKING ON FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IN TWO SEPARATE INVESTIGATIONS, BUT MUCH OF HIS WORK HAS BEEN CENTERED HERE ON CALIFORNIA. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM IN HIS HOME DISTRICT IN LOS ANGELES, IN A PARK THAT HIGHLIGHTS PART OF HIS RECORD. THIS IS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL PARK. IT’S A SPECTACULAR. THIS WAS THE HOME OF OUR BELOVED P-22 TWO, THE MOST FAMOUS LOS ANGELENO OR MOUNTAIN LION. BUT IT IS ALSO THE HOME OF THE ICONIC OBSERVATORY WE’RE SEEING RIGHT UP THERE. YES, FOR CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF SPENDING TIME IN GRIFFITH PARK IS BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL. MY WIFE AND I LOVE TO HIKE HERE. HE’S ALSO WORKING TO SECURE 4.5 MILLION FEDERAL DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN THIS PARK. AND THE TERRAIN HERE IS A REMINDER OF THE STATE’S RISK FOR WILDFIRES. YOU ACTUALLY WORKED AS A FIREFIGHTER. HOW DOES THAT INFORM THE WORK THAT YOU’RE DOING ON FIRE PREVENTION? I DID FOR A BRIEF TIME BETWEEN COLLEGE AND LAW SCHOOL. I WAS AN ASSISTANT. I WAS A US FORESTRY SERVICE. UH, SEASONAL FIREFIGHTER AND I CERTAINLY DEVELOPED A PROFOUND RESPECT FOR FIRE, FOR HOW POWERFUL AND HOW DANGEROUS IT CAN BE. BUT ALSO FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT FIGHT FIRE. IT WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HEAT, A POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT LAUNCHED SCHIFF INTO THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP THUS WARRANTS IMPEACHMENT AND TRIAL. SCHIFF SERVED AS THE LEAD MANAGER IN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST IMPEACHMENT TRIAL. YOU CAN’T TRUST THIS PRESIDENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, NOT FOR ONE MINUTE, NOT FOR ONE ELECTION, NOT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COUNTRY. AND AS A MEMBER OF THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE, SCHIFF INVESTIGATED TRUMP AGAIN THIS TIME LOOKING INTO WHETHER THE FORMER PRESIDENT INCITED THE ATTACK ON THE U.S. CAPITOL. INTELLIGENCE ABOUT THIS RISK WAS DIRECTLY AVAILABLE TO THE US SECRET SERVICE AND OTHERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. AS A SENATOR, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT YOU MAY BE IN THAT ROLE? AGAIN? I SURE HOPE NOT. I HOPE NOT FOR THE COUNTRY’S SAKE. I HOPE THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT LIKE OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT WHO IS RESPECTFUL OF THE RULE OF LAW, WHO WILL SAFEGUARD OUR INSTITUTIONS, BUT SHOULD THE NEED ARISE, I’LL STAND UP TO ANYBODY THAT THREATENS TO TAKE DOWN OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OR BE A DICTATOR ON DAY ONE. HIS WORK CHALLENGING TRUMP I CONGRESS HAS ALSO COME AT A PRICE, BUT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CENSURES ADAM SCHIFF, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 30TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. LAST SUMMER, SCHIFF BECAME ONLY THE 25TH MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO BE CENSURED. THE VOTE WAS STRAIGHT DOWN PARTY LINES. CAN YOU WORK WITH REPUBLICANS AFTER THAT VOTE? YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A VOTE DRIVEN BY DONALD TRUMP LIKE SO MUCH ELSE. HE THREATENED REPUBLICANS. BUT EVEN THROUGH THE WORST OF IT, THROUGH THE WORST OF THE TRUMP YEARS, I MANAGED TO WORK WITH A REPUBLICAN TO GET THE INTELLIGENCE BILLS DONE EVERY YEAR. I MANAGED TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS TO GET MASS TRANSIT BUILT TO INVEST IN SCIENCE AND SPACE. SO YES, I HAVE HAD A LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH ANY NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN MEMBERS. THAT PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES AFTER SERVING AS A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN LOS ANGELES, HE BECAME A STATE SENATOR IN 1996. HIS WORK IN SACRAMENTO INCLUDED AUTHORING THE PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS, BUT HE’S ALSO BEEN CRITICIZED FOR POLICIES THAT INCREASED CRIMINAL PENALTIES. LIKE MANY DEMOCRATS, I ALSO SUPPORTED TOUGH ON CRIME MEASURES IN THE 90S, WHICH I DON’T THINK WORKED, AND I CERTAINLY DON’T HAVE THAT APPROACH TODAY THAT IS, I THINK WE RESERVE THE STRONGEST PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO COMMIT THE MOST VIOLENT CRIMES. HE SERVED IN CONGRESS SINCE 2001 WITH A WIDE RANGE OF WORK. EARTHQUAKE, EARTHQUAKE FROM OUR STATE’S EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR EARTHQUAKES TO CHAIRING THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. FIRST OF ALL, HOUSING, I THINK, IS THE NUMBER ONE CRISIS IN THE STATE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS IT, WE NEED TO BUILD A LOT MORE HOUSING. WE NEED TO BUILD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNITS JUST IN CALIFORNIA. AND HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT? I WOULD DO IT BY DRAMATICALLY EXPANDING SOMETHING CALLED THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT. THAT’S A FEDERAL TAX CREDIT THAT INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SCHIFF IS A VEGAN AND AN AVID CYCLIST. THIS IS FROM THE 550 MILE AIDS LIFE CYCLE. HE AND HIS WIFE, EVE. YEP. ADAM AND EVE HAVE TWO KIDS. THEIR DAUGHTER, LEXI, WORKS FOR A CELEBRITY BOOKING AGENCY, AND THEIR SON, ELI IS IN COLLEGE. AND HE SAYS HIS OWN MOM AND DAD HELPED SHAPE HIS APPROACH TO POLITICS. DO YOU FEEL LIKE HAVING A DEMOCRAT MOTHER, A REPUBLICAN FATHER, KIND OF MADE YOU MORE OF A CENTRIST? I THINK IT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. SHOULD WE TAKE A PICTURE TOGETHER IN THIS STATEWIDE RACE? CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF SAYS HE LOOKS TO THE EXAMPLE SET BY THE SENATOR HE HOPES TO SUCCEED. IN FACT, HE WORKED WITH SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN ON BILLS TO PRESERVE OPEN SPACE IN THE REGION AROUND THIS PARK. I WOULD LOVE TO REPRESENT ALL AREAS OF THE STATE. THE CENTRAL VALLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IN SUBSTANTIAL NEED OF HELP WITH CLEAN WATER WITH EXPANSION OF BROADBAND ACCESS, UH, RURAL HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA ARE IN CRISIS OF SITTING DOWN WITH PARTIES THE WAY SENATOR FEINSTEIN DID TO TO GET TO YES ON SOLUTIONS FOR THE STATE. THAT’S REALLY WHAT EXCITES ME ABOUT RUNNING STATEWIDE. CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF HAS A SUBSTANTIAL LIST OF ENDORSEMENTS, INCLUDING MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS OF CALIFORNIA’S DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND FORMER SENATOR BARBARA BOXER. AS FOR THE OTHER LEADING CANDIDATES, WE HAVE INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED WITH CONGRESSWOMAN KATIE PORTER AND BARBARA LEE OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. WE ARE AIRING THOSE AS THE CAMPAIGNS ARE MAKING THE CANDIDATES AVAILABLE AND OUR PROFILE OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE STEVE GARVEY AIRED LAST NIGHT, AND THAT’S AVAILABLE ON KCRA.COM. ALSO COMING UP TUESDAY AT SIX, A ONE HOUR DEBATE WITH THOSE FOUR LEADING CANDIDATES. THE DEBATE IS HOSTED BY NBC AND TELEMUNDO STATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND KCRA 3’S TY STEE

A California congressman who is best known for taking on former President Donald Trump is now running for U.S. Senate. Rep. Adam Schiff was at the center of two congressional investigations into Trump, but much of his work has been centered on California. A recent interview in Los Angeles' Griffith Park highlighted some of that work. Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the nation, with a number of hiking trails, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Observatory, and the Hollywood sign. Schiff says he and his wife love to hike in the park, and his connections there are also professional. Schiff worked with the U.S. senator he hopes to succeed, Dianne Feinstein, on bills to preserve open space in the region around the park. He secured federal funding for the Griffith Observatory, and he's now working on $4.5 million in federal dollars for park maintenance. The park's terrain is also a reminder of the state's risk for wildfires. After college, Schiff worked as a U.S. Forestry Service seasonal firefighter, and he says that experience gave him a profound respect for the power and danger of wildfires. "Also, for the men and women that fight fire," he explained, adding that it drives the need to "bring back resources to make our areas more resilient to fire, to make sure that our firefighters have all the equipment and training and healthcare they need." It was a different type of heat, a political firestorm, that launched Schiff into the national spotlight. He served as the lead manager in President Trump's first impeachment trial in February of 2020. Schiff investigated Trump again in the fall of 2022, as a member of the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. He says that while he hopes the need never arises, he's prepared to take on that role again as a U.S. senator. "I'll stand up to anybody that threatens to take down our democratic system, or be a dictator on day one," Schiff said. His work challenging Trump in Congress has also come at a price. Last summer, Schiff became only the 25th member of Congress to be censured. Although the vote was straight down party lines, he says he can still work with Republicans. "Even through the worst of it, through the worst of the Trump years, I managed to work with a Republican to get the intelligence bills done," he said. "Every year I managed to work with the Republicans to get a mass transit bill, to invest in science and space. So yes, I have had a long partnership with any number of Republican members. That partnership continues." Schiff had some experience as a prosecutor before taking on a sitting president. He worked as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles for six years before becoming a state senator in 1996. His work in Sacramento included authoring the "Patient's Bill of Rights," but he's also been criticized for some policies that increased criminal penalties. Schiff says his views on criminal justice issues have evolved. "Like many Democrats, I also supported tough-on-crime measures in the 1990s, which I don't think worked," he explained. "I certainly don't have that approach today. I think we reserve the strongest penalties for those who commit the most violent crimes." Schiff has served in Congress since 2001 with a wide range of work, from California's early warning system for earthquakes to serving as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Schiff says his current priority is building more housing in California, noting the state needs hundreds of thousands of additional units. To do that, he's proposing an expansion of the low-income housing tax credit. That federal tax credit incentivizes people to build affordable housing. Schiff is a vegan and an avid cyclist, the first member of Congress to complete the 550-mile AIDS/LifeCycle. He and his wife Eve have two adult children. Their daughter Lexi works for a celebrity booking agency and their son Eli is in college. He credits his mom and dad with shaping his approach to politics. With a Democrat mother and a Republican father, "I think it helped me understand that there are good people on both sides of the aisle and we need to work together to solve problems." Congressman Schiff has a substantial list of endorsements, including more than 75% of California's Democratic Congressional delegation, former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. He has consistently led his opponents in both fundraising and polling numbers. "I would love to represent all areas of the state. The Central Valley, for example, is in substantial need of help with clean water, with expansion of broadband access," he said. "Rural hospitals throughout California are in crisis. Sitting down with parties the way Senator Feinstein did to get to 'yes' on solutions for the state, that's really what excites me about running statewide."As for the other leading candidates, here is where you can find our interviews with them: KCRA 3 sits down with U.S. Senate candidate Steve GarveyKCRA 3 sits down with U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Barbara LeeKCRA 3 sits down with U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Katie PorterMore Election CoverageHave you received your California primary election ballot? Here's what you can doCalifornia March 5 Primary Election: Important dates, deadlines for voters, how to registerFind all candidates on California 2024 primary ballot hereHow to vote, track your ballot in California's 2024 primary electionHere is your 2024 California voter guide for races, measures

A California congressman who is best known for taking on former President Donald Trump is now running for U.S. Senate.

Rep. Adam Schiff was at the center of two congressional investigations into Trump, but much of his work has been centered on California.

A recent interview in Los Angeles' Griffith Park highlighted some of that work. Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the nation, with a number of hiking trails, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Observatory, and the Hollywood sign. Schiff says he and his wife love to hike in the park, and his connections there are also professional.

Schiff worked with the U.S. senator he hopes to succeed, Dianne Feinstein, on bills to preserve open space in the region around the park. He secured federal funding for the Griffith Observatory, and he's now working on $4.5 million in federal dollars for park maintenance.

The park's terrain is also a reminder of the state's risk for wildfires. After college, Schiff worked as a U.S. Forestry Service seasonal firefighter, and he says that experience gave him a profound respect for the power and danger of wildfires.

"Also, for the men and women that fight fire," he explained, adding that it drives the need to "bring back resources to make our areas more resilient to fire, to make sure that our firefighters have all the equipment and training and healthcare they need."

It was a different type of heat, a political firestorm, that launched Schiff into the national spotlight. He served as the lead manager in President Trump's first impeachment trial in February of 2020. Schiff investigated Trump again in the fall of 2022, as a member of the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. He says that while he hopes the need never arises, he's prepared to take on that role again as a U.S. senator.

"I'll stand up to anybody that threatens to take down our democratic system, or be a dictator on day one," Schiff said.

His work challenging Trump in Congress has also come at a price. Last summer, Schiff became only the 25th member of Congress to be censured. Although the vote was straight down party lines, he says he can still work with Republicans.

"Even through the worst of it, through the worst of the Trump years, I managed to work with a Republican to get the intelligence bills done," he said. "Every year I managed to work with the Republicans to get a mass transit bill, to invest in science and space. So yes, I have had a long partnership with any number of Republican members. That partnership continues."

Schiff had some experience as a prosecutor before taking on a sitting president. He worked as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles for six years before becoming a state senator in 1996. His work in Sacramento included authoring the "Patient's Bill of Rights," but he's also been criticized for some policies that increased criminal penalties. Schiff says his views on criminal justice issues have evolved.

"Like many Democrats, I also supported tough-on-crime measures in the 1990s, which I don't think worked," he explained. "I certainly don't have that approach today. I think we reserve the strongest penalties for those who commit the most violent crimes."

Schiff has served in Congress since 2001 with a wide range of work, from California's early warning system for earthquakes to serving as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Schiff says his current priority is building more housing in California, noting the state needs hundreds of thousands of additional units. To do that, he's proposing an expansion of the low-income housing tax credit. That federal tax credit incentivizes people to build affordable housing.

Schiff is a vegan and an avid cyclist, the first member of Congress to complete the 550-mile AIDS/LifeCycle.

He and his wife Eve have two adult children. Their daughter Lexi works for a celebrity booking agency and their son Eli is in college. He credits his mom and dad with shaping his approach to politics. With a Democrat mother and a Republican father, "I think it helped me understand that there are good people on both sides of the aisle and we need to work together to solve problems."

Congressman Schiff has a substantial list of endorsements, including more than 75% of California's Democratic Congressional delegation, former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. He has consistently led his opponents in both fundraising and polling numbers.

"I would love to represent all areas of the state. The Central Valley, for example, is in substantial need of help with clean water, with expansion of broadband access," he said. "Rural hospitals throughout California are in crisis. Sitting down with parties the way Senator Feinstein did to get to 'yes' on solutions for the state, that's really what excites me about running statewide."

As for the other leading candidates, here is where you can find our interviews with them:

'I'll stand up to anybody': U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff outlines priorities in race

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