California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff came to a stark realization about his party following the theft of his personal belongings a couple of years ago while visiting San Francisco.

During a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO program, the well-known architect of the false “Trump-Russia collusion” narrative acknowledged that his party could potentially lose power in deep-blue California, as a recent poll found 50% of respondents would consider voting for a Republican governor in 2026.

He said he believes rampant crime is a concern, as he sought to distance himself from the soft-on-crime policies he has supported for years.

“So we’re going to have to change how we do business in California. We’re going to have to address people’s legitimate concerns about crime,” he said after years of supporting liberal so-called ‘soft on crime’ policies.

“I was in South San Francisco two years ago after I had an experience in the city that all too many people had when my luggage was stolen out of my car. They tell you don’t ever leave your luggage in the car. I never do until the one time I did. And of course it got stolen,” he said.

Organized theft rings, similar to flash mobs, have become common in California as the penalties for stealing items valued under $950 have been reduced.