Former Candidate Active in Government.

VISTA, Calif.,--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 1998--Whatever became of Darrell Issa?

For more than a year, Californians saw and heard the charismatic businessman and would-be politician on TV and radio, telling viewers and listeners that he wanted to send Barbara Boxer back to San Francisco.

Issa was visible (and almost unavoidable) up until the primary election on June 3rd, when he won more than a million votes but came in second to Republican Senate candidate Matt Fong. Since then, Issa has kept a lower profile, but behind the scenes he has worked to increase his knowledge and experience level in government.

Team Player

Two months after the primary, John Marelius in the San Diego Union-Tribune said, "Few candidates are as gracious and generous in defeat as Darrell Issa." Marelius went on to say: "Issa has become one of his former opponent's biggest cheerleaders and fundraisers. Issa recently hosted a $120,000 fund-raising reception in Costa Mesa for Fong, and told the well-heeled crowd, 'Matt is a great candidate who will make a great Senator.'"

A New Role as Diplomat

In August, Issa, a third-generation Lebanese American, was elected president of the American Task Force for Lebanon, a non-profit, Washington DC-based pro-Lebanese organization.

At that time, Issa announced his intention to continue to maintain the organization's high levels of diplomatic contact with the U.S., Lebanese and Israeli governments, the United Nations and other nations in the Middle East, to promote peace in the region, and prosperity and healing for Lebanon. He and his wife and son visited Lebanon in 1997, meeting with the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

New Chairman of CEMA 

Darrell Issa's most recent move came in mid-October, when he was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturer's Association (CEMA), as well as a member of the board of governors of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Washington DC-based CEMA is a trade association whose members produce more than 80 percent of the electronic products sold to American consumers.

CEMA is best known as the sponsor, pthe scenes.

"One of CEMA's most important jobs is setting standards, such as DVD and HDTV," said Issa. "Those standards make it possible to deliver new technologiesd.

According to Issa: "If America is goinge and cooperate in these goals."

Some of the issues on the table for CEMA and EIA include the promotion of free trade and access to foreign markets, which Darrell Iad reacted surprisingly strongly to the hiring of former Democratic Congressman Dave McCurdy as executive director of the EIA the week before, delaying passage of the Digital Copyright Bill, which had already been approved by the Senate.

Issa, a lifelong republican, was instrumenarrell Issa remains president and chief executissa. "That's me."