California’s IATSE board has endorsed Democrat Adam Schiff in his campaign to succeed U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has not yet said whether she will run for re-election next year. Schiff is the eleven-term congressman whose district includes Burbank, Hollywood and West Hollywood.
The council, which is made up of 18 IATSE residents representing more than 54,000 workers in the film and television industry nationwide, said in a statement: “We are making this early commitment because our decades-long association with Congressman Schiff our direct provided evidence of its depth and consistent commitment to – and willingness to take action – on the issues that directly affect our members and their families.
“Since his early days in Congress, Adam Schiff has demonstrated that commitment. In 2001, when there was a massive flight of film and television productions from California to Canada, but the term “runaway production” was known only in our industry and certainly not in the halls of Congress, Congressman Schiff gave one of the first co-productions. Authors of federal laws to keep the US competitive. He continued to work toward the passage of this law, called the Independent Film and Television Production Incentive Act, until it took effect in 2004.
“While on the House Judiciary Committee, he defended our members’ films and television shows against copyright theft and then the Internet. He has championed copyright protection and undermined those who seek to steal the work of American creators for profit, thereby undermining residual payments in our members’ health and retirement plans.
“He fought for unemployment benefits for our members when the COVID-19 pandemic crippled our industry and stood with us in 2021 as we fought for our members’ right to fair contracts and a safe workplace.
“There is no stronger or truer voice for working people in California than Congressman Adam Schiff. He is a man of conscience, conviction and strength. And what is important at this time, he is steadfast in the face of adversity. He understands that doing what’s right for working people is key to ensuring America remains the land of opportunity.
“The CIC looks forward to working hard for his election as U.S. Senator for California.”
Schiff formally declared last month and at Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) joined the race, while Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) also plans to participate. Feinstein has not said what her plans are, but she is not expected to be in the race.
All candidates are expected to court Hollywood donors and use old connections from their congressional campaigns. Schiff received national platform for his role on the January 6 Committee and House Intelligence Committee during the Donald Trump investigation.
Deadline’s Ted Johnson contributed to this report.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
