California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff allegedly claimed a primary residence in Maryland for years despite his goal to represent Golden State residents in the Senate.
All while owning a 3,420-square-foot home in Maryland, Schiff has reportedly taken a homeowner’s tax exemption on a smaller 650-square-foot condo he owns and designates as his primary residence in Burbank, California.
By claiming his California home as his primary residence, Schiff was able to receive a $7,000 reduction in his property assessment – an estimated $70 in annual savings from property taxes, according to a CNN report. In California, each county collects a general property tax equal to 1% of the assessed value. Schiff, who announced his Senate ambition in January, did not take a similar exemption on his Maryland home.
Tax records reviewed by the outlet revealed Schiff paid his property taxes in California with a personal check featuring his Maryland address in 2017. The outlet's review of past records and comments from the lawmaker, as well as photos shared to social media in recent history, also indicated Schiff has made his Maryland home his full-time residence.
Deed records also revealed Schiff designated his Maryland home his primary residence in 2003, the year he bought the home. Additionally, Schiff reportedly refinanced his mortgage and indicated that his Maryland home was his primary residence in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Los Angeles County deed records for Schiff's California condo, which was purchased in 2009 for a little under $300,000, were notarized in Maryland, the outlet highlighted.
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One page of the deed reportedly replaced "California" and "Los Angeles" with "Maryland" and "Montgomery County." The records also listed Schiff’s Maryland home as the return address.
A spokesperson for Schiff’s campaign told Fox News Digital the congressman's primary residence is in California and that he and his family made the "difficult decision" to move to the D.C. area so he could spend more time with his children while serving in Congress.
"Adam’s primary residence is Burbank, California, and will remain so when he wins the Senate seat," said Marisol Samayoa, a Schiff campaign spokesperson.
"As Adam has discussed openly many times over the years, including in his recent New York Times best-selling book, he and Eve made the difficult decision to move their family to the D.C. area to spend more time with his children while doing his job — voting and representing the people of California's 30th Congressional District.
"Members of Congress have to decide how best to balance work and family, and the Schiffs did exactly that. Adam’s constituents appreciate how devoted he is to both the responsibilities of his job and his family."
The Schiff for Senate campaign also told Fox News Digital Schiff claimed both homes as primary residences due to "loan purposes."
"Adam’s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property," his campaign said.
A 2010 to 2014 biography featured on Schiff's campaign website at the time made no mention of the Maryland home and indicated Schiff and his family were "settled" in Burbank. In 2020, however, Schiff refinanced his mortgage and indicated that the Maryland residence was his second home.
A family photo shared on Schiff's website in 2021, as highlighted in the report, matched the exterior of Schiff's Potomac home in Maryland. Additionally, several social media posts by Schiff in recent years suggested he still lives at his Maryland home.
In a June 2022 photo shared by Schiff on social media, the congressman posed with an "I Voted" sticker in front of his Maryland home on the day of the Democratic primary in the Los Angeles mayor’s race.
Under California law, to qualify for a homeowner’s exemption, the "dwelling must be the person’s true, fixed and permanent home and principal establishment to which he/she, whenever absent, intends to return." Certain factors used to determine if someone lives in the state include "in-state presence, vehicle registration, voter registration, bank accounts, and state income tax filings."
Several lawmakers have faced scrutiny in recent years for living in certain states and representing others at the federal level, including former Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Republican.
The residency revelations surrounding Schiff, who served as the lead House impeachment manager for former President Donald Trump's first trial in the Senate, come as he prepares to take on stiff competition in the California Senate race. Democratic representatives Katie Porter and Barbara Lee of California also announced this year they would make a run for the seat.