California Senate Congressman Adam Schiff is facing intense scrutiny over allegations that he claimed two primary residences in Maryland and California for more than a decade, while enjoying tax breaks meant for homeowners.
The controversy surrounding Schiff’s residency claims could spell trouble for his bid for the Senate seat, which he announced in January 2023.
Schiff has owned a spacious 3,420-square-foot home in Maryland for years, but at the same time has taken a homeowner’s tax exemption on his smaller 650-square-foot condo in Burbank, California, designating it as his primary residence.
The move resulted in a $7,000 reduction in property taxes for congressmen, equivalent to about $70 in annual savings. Schiff did not apply for a similar exemption for his property in Maryland.
The controversy deepened when tax records showed that in 2017, Schiff paid his California property taxes with a check displaying his Maryland address — the only year he used a personal check for this purpose, according to CNN.
Furthermore, evidence from multiple sources — including past comments, social media posts and records — indicates that Schiff resides mostly in Maryland, despite officially claiming his Burbank condo as his primary residence.
Adam Schiff currently lives in a 3,400 square foot Maryland home. Google world
An insider told The Post that the congressman is “rarely in his California apartment,” which is a modest one-bedroom, one-bathroom residence.
The revelations come as Schiff faces a tough race in the California Senate primary against fellow Democrats. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee.
Deed records reveal that Schiff designated his Maryland property as his primary residence in 2003 when he purchased it for $870,000.
In 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, Schiff refinanced his mortgage and consistently listed the Maryland property as his primary residence.
Los Angeles County deed records for Schiff’s Burbank condo, purchased in 2009 for $298,000, raised eyebrows because they were notarized in Maryland.
The record featured changes that replaced “California” and “Los Angeles” with “Maryland” and “Montgomery County”, listing Schiff’s Maryland address as the return address. This inconsistency further casts doubt on his true primary residence.
He also owns a modest one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Burbank, California. Google world
Despite the overwhelming evidence that Schiff lives mostly in Maryland, his campaign spokeswoman, Marisol Samayoa, spoke to CNN, insisting that his primary residence is in Burbank.
Samayoa referenced various news mentions and his book, noting that Schiff and his wife had moved to the DC area to spend more time with their children while he performed his congressional duties.
Samayoa also noted that Schiff listed both California and Maryland addresses as primary residences for loan purposes to distinguish them from vacation properties, insisting that both properties were occupied year-round.
However, Schiff’s 2010 to 2014 campaign website biography, which claims he raised his family in Burbank, makes no mention of his home in Maryland.
Sources told The Post Schiff “rarely” stayed at his California residence. Google world
However, in 2020, Schiff refinanced his mortgage, indicating that the Maryland home was his second home.
Yet social media posts from 2021, and school publications and athletic records from the same year, indicate that Schiff still lives in the Maryland home.
A telling family photo on Schiff’s website from 2021 matches the exterior of his Potomac home in Maryland. What’s more, numerous social media posts from the past year, some shared publicly by Schiff himself, strongly suggest that he continue to reside in Maryland.
On June 7, 2022, the day of the Democratic primary in the Los Angeles mayoral race, Schiff posted a photo on Twitter in front of his home in Maryland, wearing an “I Voted” sticker.
However, his spokesman insisted that Schiff was in Washington, DC, for the House vote and had voted by mail.
The California senate hopeful has claimed dual primary residences in Maryland and California for more than a decade. AP
To qualify for the homeowner’s exemption under California law, the residence must be “a true, fixed and permanent home and principal establishment to which he, when absent, intends to return.”
Factors used to determine residency include in-state presence, vehicle registration, voter registration, bank accounts and state income tax filings.
Schiff’s case is not unique, as other politicians running for Senate positions have faced residency concerns in the past.
The congressman’s plight echoes similar situations involving politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rick Santorum, Mehmet Oz, Herschel Walker and Pat Roberts.
Recently, Senator Laphonza Butler was forced to re-register to vote in California after it was revealed that she had also claimed Maryland residency at the time of her appointment to the open Senate seat vacated by Dianne Feinstein.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
