Kurt Bardella
Kurt Bardella
Early Life & Education
Kurt Bardella was adopted by a young couple in Rochester, New York. His adoptive father worked as a security guard at an office building while his mother pursued a degree in literature at the University of Rochester. When he was three, Bardella’s adoptive parents divorced. He then lived with his mother and spent alternating weekends with his father. He attended a catholic school and served as an altar boy. [8]
Kurt Bardella mother later relocated to Escondido, California, where Bardella would enroll at Escondido High School. Teachers nominated him for the Escondido Youth Commission, an advisory board formed partially in response to the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School Shooting. [8]
After graduating from Secondary school in 2001, Bardella planned on attending the University of California-Davis, before heading to law school. But at the end of a summer internship with a state legislator, he was offered a full-time job. [8]
Career
Kurt Bardella was the Deputy Communications Director and Spokesperson for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa from January of 2009 to March of 2011. [8]
Kurt Bardella assisted in the Committee’s strategic planning development and media outreach coordination to advance committee investigations, hearings and oversight initiatives. Before joining Issa, Bardella served as Press secretary for U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe and communications director for Rep. Brian Bilbray. [8] Prior to coming to Capitol Hill in 2006, Bardella worked in the private sector in San Diego. He previously worked as a spokesperson for Breitbart News and the Daily Caller. [7]
In March 2011, Darrell Issa dismissed Bardella, after concluding that Bardella had secretly and regularly shared e-mail exchanges he had with journalists with a reporter for The New York Times writing a book about Washington’s political culture. In a statement, Issa said Bardella had acted improperly:
“It has become clear that the committee’s deputy communications director, Kurt Bardella, did share reporter e-mail correspondence with New York Times journalist Mark Leibovich for a book project.
Though limited, these actions were highly inappropriate, a basic breach of trust with the reporters it was his job to assist, and inconsistent with established communications office policies.
As a consequence, his employment has been terminated.”[14]
Personal Life
Coronavirus Outbreak
On March 12, 2020, Washingtonian (magazine) released an interview with Bardella called "My Life in DC’s Coronavirus Era: Kurt Bardella", where he told about changes in his routine due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.[13]
When asked, when and how he first became convinced that coronavirus was something that would require him to change up your daily routine, Bardella answered:
It was during the first week of March when I saw President Trump downplaying the severity of the virus and suggesting he had some unique intuition for science that superseded the data.
I realized it was going to get worse before it got better and I needed to focus my attention on limiting my exposure as much as possible.[13]
He also told what he likes best about his new routine:
In some ways, the lack of social-in-person interaction is forcing me to be more productive and focus.
There’s less distraction in my day.
In three days, I was able to write and publish three columns.
I think in general, just being more conscious about best practices for my own health is a good thing.
In the past, it was more of a peripheral concern, now it is a top priority, something that is at the forefront of my mind throughout the day.[13]
In addition, he revealed what he misses most about his old routine:
I really miss playing basketball every day.
For years, that has been my stress outlet and escape.
We have a great group of guys that I’ve been playing with for almost 10 years now.
It’s strange to have that hole in my day.[13]