October 24, 2024
On April 15, 2023 The Gateway Pundit uncovered an ethics case against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) accusing him of election fraud and voter fraud. Since then, there have been additional allegations of Schiff’s wrongdoing, including mortgage fraud and fraudulent voter registration, which could be very serious to pursue in court.
First Complaint: Fraud in Voting Claims.
The original complaint, filed by a concerned citizen from California, accused Schiff of falsely claiming residency in both California and Maryland. Schiff, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, allegedly maintained dual claims of residency to represent California while benefiting from Maryland’s tax advantages. Schiff and his wife bought a Maryland house in 2003 and claimed it as their “primary residence” on their mortgage, the complaint alleges, but still voted in California elections — which could amount to voter fraud.
According to the complaint, in 2009 Schiff erred by using the Maryland exemption to say that the house was his primary residence. Although Schiff reportedly paid back the tax exemption following a House Ethics investigation, allegations continue to surface that he was just one piece of a bigger mess.
Expanded Allegations: Mortgage Fraud
This month, a joint report by Chris Bish, a candidate for Congress in California’s District 6, and Darren Ellis, a candidate for the California State Assembly, made new charges against Schiff. Citing Maryland’s mortgage fraud laws, the report alleges Schiff forged mortgage papers in order to get lower interest rates by pretending that his Maryland property was his main residence.
The definition of mortgage fraud in Maryland is intentional misleading or omission in the mortgage transaction. The report alleges that Schiff knowingly made false statements to secure a more favorable mortgage on the property, in violation of Maryland Code §7-401. Schiff is charged with refinancing the home multiple times (from 2009 to 2013) and lying about his residency.
The report also mentions that former Baltimore top prosecutor Marilyn Mosby has recently been convicted in Maryland of mortgage fraud for similar actions, so Schiff’s case ought to get the same attention.
Fraudulent Registration & Voter Fraud Claims.
Schiff is accused, as well as mortgage fraud, of registering false voters. Voter fraud is defined by the Heritage Foundation as those cases in which people vote or register to vote falsely. Schiff and his wife had sold their home in California in 2003, the new report says, and moved to Maryland, though they voted in California elections until purchasing a smaller home in Burbank, California, in 2009.
According to the report, Schiff knowingly registered to vote in California between 2003 and 2009 while residing in Maryland, which could be an offense under California Election Code 349(a), which establishes residency for purposes of voting as a person’s domicile. Schiff is also charged with filing or signing false forms which, pursuant to California Election Code 18203, could subject him to a fine or jail time.
What Happens Next and What The Law Says
All these charges could come with real consequences for Schiff in his run for the U.S. Senate. The law in California is that a person who votes or tries to vote falsely can be criminally punished by prison. There’s also the possibility of criminal liability for mortgage fraud, which is why other public officials have been convicted of mortgage fraud.
These charges if true would have Schiff under investigation at the federal level and in California and Maryland, where he’s been charged with rigging election laws and mortgage rules for his own gain.
So with Schiff’s Senate campaign still in play, whether or not these allegations will scuttle his political ambitions is the question.
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