Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a 90-year-old lawmaker who has faced calls to resign due to her medical issues, did not make a plann...
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a 90-year-old lawmaker who has faced calls to resign due to her medical issues, did not make a planned appearance at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Feinstein told the San Francisco Chronicle that the reason the senator missed the 150th anniversary celebration of the city’s cable cars was because of her health.
“She is not feeling well and has a cough. She decided it was best to stay at home,” Feinstein’s spokesperson, Ron Eckstein, told the news outlet.
Feinstein is the Senate’s oldest current member — and in recent years, some colleagues have begun to raise concerns about her mental fitness and ability to do the job.
Scrutiny intensified after she made a comeback to the Senate in a wheelchair this spring, ending a months-long absence during which the lawmaker was receiving treatment for and recovering from shingles.
Just last week, Feinstein made headlines when she appeared to get confused and began to deliver a speech during a vote on Capitol Hill.
Feinstein announced in February she would not seek re-election in 2024. Three prominent House Democrats — Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee — have announced campaigns to replace Feinstein in the Senate.
But some of Feinstein’s fellow Democrats have called on her to step down before her term is up. That includes Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), though he told POLITICO he would give the “situation the benefit of the doubt” and is “hopeful” that Feinstein will be able to fulfill her duties.
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) attended the cable car event and insisted that Feinstein was “good … she’s doing her job,” as reported by the Chronicle.
“Even though she had the diagnosis of shingles, she went back there and she was there for every vote so that the judges could be confirmed even though the other side would not cooperate,” Pelosi added. “It’s a tribute to her that we wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t made that strong step when she was mayor in San Francisco to save the cable cars. She’s present in so many ways.”
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