When Adam Schiff was sworn in because the junior U.S. senator from California one yr in the past, he’d already spent 12 phrases within the Home of Representatives and was arguably finest identified for main Home impeachment proceedings towards President Donald Trump throughout Trump’s first time period.
Within the 12 months since becoming a member of the higher chamber of Congress, Schiff has continued to make a reputation for himself as a chief antagonist – and a first-rate goal – of Trump, calling out actions by the president that Schiff, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor, considers unconstitutional or unethical.
He’s embraced his position as one of many Democratic Get together’s most vocal critics of Trump – even when it’s meant drawing the ire of the president.
“We’ve got to defend our democracy. We’ve got to face as much as any president – Democrat or Republican – who abuses their energy, who tries to silence and intimidate their critics. … All of us have to face as much as that or there gained’t be a lot of a rule of regulation left,” Schiff mentioned throughout an interview final week.
“Sure, I’m excessive on the president’s enemy record. I’m proud to be there,” he added.
On the similar time, throughout a speech on the Senate ground the day earlier than, Schiff spoke of the thought of Democrats and Republicans working collectively to get extra properties constructed; convey down the price of groceries, utilities and childcare; present inexpensive well being care and put ahead a “truthful and humane immigration system.”
“I’m a proud Democrat. However I’m additionally keen to work with anybody to advance these efforts – together with that man on the different finish of Pennsylvania Avenue who doesn’t take care of me very a lot and who I’m not significantly keen on both,” he mentioned in reference to Trump.
Schiff and different Democrats have been the topic of investigations by the U.S. Division of Justice over alleged mortgage fraud this previous yr. Schiff, who hasn’t been charged, has denied the allegations and accused the Trump administration of political retribution.
When requested about Schiff’s first yr within the Senate, White Home spokesperson Abigail Jackson mentioned in an announcement that the legislator – whom she referred to by a nickname – “clearly suffers from a extreme case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that clouds his each thought” and accused Schiff of focusing extra “on his hatred of the president than … on the problems that matter” to Californians.
She advised that Trump delivered extra for Californians previously yr than Schiff, “together with by finishing the quickest particles elimination effort in historical past to offer much-needed help to California communities” following the January wildfires in Southern California.
California Democrats have largely credited the Federal Emergency Administration Company, U.S. Military Corps of Engineers and U.S. Environmental Safety Company for the document tempo of cleanup. On the similar time, Schiff and different Democrats have advised that Trump has held up sending further federal {dollars} to California for initiatives like rebuilding infrastructure.
By way of Schiff’s legislative document within the Senate, not one of the 19 payments he launched since January, not together with resolutions, has change into regulation and even handed out of the Senate.
Though it’s not out of the atypical for payments to not have handed out of their originating home at this level – the midway mark of a two-year congressional time period – political observers don’t anticipate Schiff’s payments to realize a lot traction even subsequent yr since Republicans management each homes of Congress and the White Home.
Schiff this yr additionally launched seven resolutions, of which one – to honor the lifetime of Brian Wilson, the Seashore Boys legend who died in June, as a rock and roll and pop icon – was agreed to within the Senate. Resolutions usually specific an opinion of the legislature, which is completely different from payments that suggest new legal guidelines.
Schiff additionally co-sponsored 250 different payments, not counting resolutions. Of these 250 payments, only one, launched by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, to ban the net posting of intimate photos of people in the event that they don’t consent to it, has been signed into regulation.
“He (Schiff) has launched fairly a little bit of laws. However as a member of the minority (social gathering), many of the payments aren’t going anyplace,” mentioned political analyst Dan Schnur, a former Republican who mentioned he switched to “no social gathering choice” greater than a decade in the past.
Just like Schiff, not one of the 14 payments that first-term Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, launched this yr has handed out of Senate committees. Of the 131 different payments she co-sponsored, not counting resolutions, just one has change into regulation.
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio launched 20 items of laws. None has been signed into regulation. One decision – in recognition of the Ohio State College soccer staff – was agreed to within the Senate.
Nevertheless, of the payments he co-sponsored, two have been signed into regulation and three others have at the least handed out of the Senate. As well as, two joint resolutions he co-sponsored have change into regulation. Joint resolutions, not like different varieties of resolutions, carry the burden of regulation if signed by the president.
Final week, Schiff’s workplace highlighted the work he’s finished since he was first sworn in to the U.S. Senate on Dec. 9, 2024, to switch the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. (Feinstein died in workplace in September 2023, and Laphonza Butler was appointed interim senator till Schiff’s election the next yr.)
The senator’s contributions, in response to his workplace, included advocating for decrease prices for People and proposing laws to deal with the state’s housing and insurance coverage crises, enhance catastrophe resiliency, and assist communities and first responders following the January wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Examples of actions taken by Schiff, in response to his workplace, embrace:
• Visiting 25 of California’s 58 counties, up and down the state.
• Ensuring greater than $8 million went again to California residents within the type of overdue tax refunds, retroactive Social Safety advantages and different funds. As well as, he secured greater than $32.45 million from Congress to fund native initiatives in California, akin to new hearth tools in Bishop and upgraded turbines in Mono County.
• Introducing the Housing BOOM Act, to encourage a housing provide growth, by making the largest-ever enlargement of the Low-Revenue Housing Tax Credit score (LIHTC) and offering grants to incentivize the event of inexpensive housing.
• Introducing laws to check the impression of synthetic intelligence on the workforce to forestall job losses whereas selling technological growth and innovation.
• Supporting a number of items of laws to counter tariffs imposed by Trump that his workplace mentioned are driving up prices and hurting farmers and small companies.
Political marketing consultant Michael Bustamante additionally credited Schiff for advocating on problems with local weather change, well being care, immigration and the economic system.
“These are issues Californians care about. And he’s on the suitable aspect of that ledger,” mentioned Bustamante, a associate at California Methods who switched from being a registered Democrat to “no social gathering choice” about 15 years in the past however nonetheless works for Democratic candidates.
Like Schnur, Bustamante pointed to the hyper-partisanship in Congress.
“The truth that he (Schiff) hasn’t been in a position to move laws that he authored is not any shock,” Bustamante mentioned.
For his half, Schiff – who finds the Senate to be “far more collegial” than the Home – famous that the primary laws he launched within the higher chamber was a bipartisan invoice co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana to supply a tax credit score to householders who harden their properties towards fires and different pure disasters. The invoice was launched in April, three months after the Southern California wildfires, however hasn’t superior out of a Senate committee.
Nonetheless, Rep. Judy Chu, a Democrat who represents Altadena and surrounding communities impacted by the Eaton hearth, mentioned Schiff’s efforts to assist hearth victims has been significant. He’s launched numerous payments to assist catastrophe victims or to fight future disasters, together with, Chu famous, a mortgage aid invoice. Chu has additionally launched a Home model of that invoice, although neither model has handed out of their respective homes.
Final month, Schiff and Chu additionally toured the Eaton Fireplace Collaborative Heart, a useful resource hub in Altadena for hearth survivors, and heard from households nonetheless making an attempt to get better.
“Sen. Schiff has stood side-by-side with the survivors from the very starting,” Chu mentioned.
Not everyone seems to be fast to sing Schiff’s praises, although.
Matt Klink, a Republican marketing consultant who owns Klink Campaigns, Inc., described the senator as “the Democratic mouthpiece” who’s obsessive about going after Trump.
“He’s like a canine searching for a bone. He by no means lets up despite different essential issues which can be occurring on this nation. I believe most Republicans see Adam Schiff as a waste of house in the US Senate,” he mentioned.
Schiff is a part of a brand new breed of senators, Klink mentioned, who’re extra keen on making the information than legislating.
“Schiff will go on TV, and he’ll rail towards Donald Trump,” Klink mentioned. “That’s not a legislative position. That’s an overt, partisan attack-dog position.” Cruz, the Republican senator from Texas, is the same instance on the opposite aspect of the aisle, Klink charged.
“It’s not a plus,” he mentioned – although he additionally acknowledged Schiff’s “political chops.”
“He’s powerful as nails, and he’s actually good, and he’s actually good on TV,” Klink mentioned. “You must respect the man. He’s not a light-weight.”
Schnur, who teaches political messaging at UC Berkeley and USC, mentioned since Schiff can’t get many payments handed, he’s determined to capitalize on his status as a powerful Trump critic.
“Most first-year senators are likely to hold a reasonably low profile. However most rookies don’t come to the Senate with the kind of superstar standing that Schiff has introduced with him from the Trump impeachment. He’s been exceptionally high-profile for a first-year member,” Schnur mentioned.
Schiff serves on the influential Senate Judiciary Committee, whose members resolve whether or not to advance a presidential nominee to the total Senate for affirmation. Earlier this yr, Schiff positioned a maintain on Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin as a U.S. legal professional, resulting in the president assigning Martin as a substitute to a different position inside the U.S. Division of Justice.
Schiff additionally serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, turning into the primary U.S. senator from California in additional than 30 years to take a seat on that physique. He mentioned he’s happy with that task, given California’s standing as the highest agricultural state within the nation.
He’s additionally proud, he mentioned, to have efficiently advocated towards the closure of eight U.S. Division of Agriculture workplaces in California, a transfer the Trump administration thought of earlier this yr.
He summed up his job as a U.S. senator as each advocating for insurance policies and funding that might be useful to Californians, in addition to standing up towards the Trump administration when crucial.
“Before everything, I wish to ship for my constituents in California. Nevertheless it has change into essential to battle so many damaging actions by the administration. My constituents are relying on me to try this, too,” Schiff mentioned.
“So,” he added, “I’m going to do every thing I can to ship for my constituents. However that additionally implies that I’m going to face up for his or her rights, rise up for democracy, it doesn’t matter what that takes.”
