With his involvement in consumer-electronics trade organizations , Issa became politically active . He went to Washington , D.C. to lobby Congress and became one of California 's largest individual campaign contributors to Republican candidates . In 1996 he was chairman of the successful campaign to pass California Proposition 209 , a ballot initiative which prohibited public institutions in California from considering race , sex , or ethnicity in the areas of public employment , public contracting , or public education . He was instrumental in persuading the national Republican Party to hold its 1996 convention in San Diego
its 1996 convention
1996 Republican National Convention
Darrell Issa