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Darrell Edward Issa (; born November 1, 1953) is the Republican U.S. Representative for California's 49th congressional district, serving since 2001. The district (numbered the 48th District during his first term) covers the northern coastal areas of San Diego County, including cities such as Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad and Encinitas, as well as a small portion of southern Orange County. Since January 2011, he has served as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Issa was formerly a businessman. He made his fortune manufacturing car alarms and theft deterrent systems. Issa was CEO of Directed Electronics, a Vista, California-based manufacturer that he co-founded in 1982. It is currently one of the largest makers of automobile aftermarket security and convenience products in the US. Issa is a multi-millionaire with a net worth estimated at about $355 million (in 2013), which makes him the wealthiest currently-serving member of Congress.〔Hall, Matthew T. (August 20, 2013). ("Issa now wealthiest member of Congress" ). UTSanDiego.com.〕 ==Early life, education, and military service== Issa, the second of six children, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Martha (née Bielfelt) and William Issa, who sold trucks and ground valves. His father was Eastern Orthodox and his mother was a Mormon. His paternal grandparents were Lebanese immigrants who both belonged to the Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and his mother is of German and Bohemian (Czech) descent. In 2006, he was one of four Arab-American members of Congress.〔()〕 The family moved to the predominantly Jewish suburb of Cleveland Heights in the later years of his childhood. Many of his friends were Jewish, and Issa reportedly worked for a rabbi at one point. He became very familiar with Jewish culture.〔 On his 17th birthday, he dropped out of high school and enlisted for three years in the Army.〔〔Broder, David S. (December 21, 1997). ("California's Battle of the Bankbooks" ). ''The Washington Post''.〕 He became an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician assigned to the 145th Ordnance Detachment.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Darrell Issa Biography – Burnishing his biography – Baltimore Sun )〕 Trained to defuse bombs, Issa stated that his unit provided security for President Richard Nixon, sweeping stadiums for bombs prior to games in the 1971 World Series.〔Williams, Lance. (May 29, 1998). (Issa's Army record in doubt: Candidate's account can't be verified ). ''San Francisco Chronicle''.〕 A May 1998 investigation by Lance Williams of the ''San Francisco Examiner'' found that Nixon had not attended any of that year's World Series games, but that Issa's unit did perform security sweeps for the World Series. After the World Series Issa was transferred to a supply depot after receiving poor ratings. According to Issa, the ''Examiner'' reporter misunderstood an anecdote he had related.〔 A fellow soldier from that time, Jay Bergey, claimed that Issa stole his Dodge Charger in 1971, stating: ''"I confronted Issa ... I got in his face and threatened to kill him, and magically my car reappeared the next day, abandoned on the turnpike."'' No charges were ever filed. Issa has denied any theft.〔 After receiving a hardship discharge in 1972 after his father suffered a heart attack, Issa earned a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.〔 Twice that year, he was arrested. In the first incident he was indicted by a grand jury for an alleged theft of a Maserati, but prosecutors dropped the charge. In the second incident, he was stopped for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and a police officer noticed a firearm in his glove compartment. Issa was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, and was sentenced to six months' probation and a small fine.〔 Issa has said he believes the record has since been expunged.〔 Issa attended Siena Heights University, a small Roman Catholic college in Adrian, Michigan, followed by Kent State University at Stark, where he enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.〔 He served in the Army Reserve from 1976 to 1980 and was promoted to the rank of captain. While serving on active duty for training with the 1/77th Armor Battalion as an Assistant S-1 from September 9 to 26, 1980, he received an evaluation report by then-Lt. Col. Wesley Clark, who wrote "This officer's performance far exceeded that of any other reserve officer who has worked in the battalion" and "Promote ahead of contemporaries. Unlimited potential."〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Gen. Wes Clark Praises Darrell Issa's Military Service )〕 Shortly before his discharge in 1980, Issa was again indicted for grand theft auto. According to court documents, his brother, William Issa, had gone to a used car dealer and offered to sell his brother's car, a 1976 Mercedes sedan, while impersonating his brother. With an Ohio driver's license belonging to Darrell, William was given $16,000 for the car from the dealer. Shortly after the sale, Darrell reported the car stolen and told the police that he had left the title in the trunk. During the investigation Darrell reportedly gave conflicting statements as to whether or not he had recently obtained a replacement driver's license. The brothers were indicted for grand theft. Darrell claimed he had no knowledge of his brother's impersonation and sale, while William claimed that his brother had authorized him to sell the car. As the investigation continued, Darrell went to the dealership the car was sold to and repurchased his car. A few months later, investigators dropped the charges against him. In 1981 in Cleveland, Darrell Issa crashed a truck he was driving into another motorist's car and, according to court records, Issa told her that he did not have time to wait for the police and left the scene. The other motorist sued Issa for $20,000; they eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Darrell Issa」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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