Dianne Feinstein, 89, is headed back to Senate after a nearly THREE month absence
Dianne Feinstein, 89, returns to the Senate after an absence of nearly THREE months, missing nearly 100 votes as calls for her resignation mount from Republicans and Democrats alike
- Feinstein boarded a chartered private plane back to Washington, DC, on Tuesday
- Her age and fragility have been the subject of rumors in Washington calling for her to step down
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein returns to the Senate this week after being absent since mid-February amid growing calls to resign over the blocking of Democrats’ attempts to confirm liberal justices.
Feinstein boarded a chartered private plane back to Washington, D.C., from California on Tuesday, Feinstein spokesman Adam Russell confirmed to DailyMail.com.
Feinstein, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has missed nearly 100 votes in recent months. Her absence from the powerful committee has also stalled President Biden’s judicial nominations, as Republicans refuse to give the nominees a majority vote to be confirmed.
Her age and frailty have been the subject of rumors in Washington and calls for her to resign have accelerated during her months-long absence as she recovers from shingles.
New York Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it was time for the 89-year-old Democratic senator to retire amid her extended absence from Congress.
AOC is the latest member of Feinstein’s own party to call for her to go, brushing off complaints that such posts were sexist.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, has been absent from the Senate since March and faces calls to resign amid complaints that judges cannot be appointed
Feinstein was hospitalized in February for shingles but has not returned to the Senate to vote since her release last month
“I find criticism of that position as ‘anti-feminist’ a farce,” she wrote on the new social media platform Bluesky.
Former President Barack Obama’s speechwriter Jon Lovett has also called for Senator Dianne Feinstein to resign over her extended absence.
“Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate,” Lovett said on his podcast “Pod Save America” last month.
GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has also called for Feinstein to resign.
“What’s unbelievable is how the Washington establishment continues to cover those who probably don’t have the mental acuity to do their jobs,” she wrote in a Fox News op-ed last week.
She called Feinstein a “pioneer who has made an indelible impression in the public service,” but also a woman who is “in significant mental and physical decline.”
“She missed months of votes and clearly can’t do her job anymore. I agree with several congressional Democrats who say Feinstein should resign immediately and let someone else who is able to do the job take over,” Haley added.
Feinstein was first elected to the Senate in 1992. She is pictured as the mayor of San Francisco in 1978
Feinstein, 89, slammed critics urging her to step down insist that her absence from Capitol Hill was not the reason for a delay in judicial appointments.
“While the Senate Judiciary Committee has put forward eight strong candidates in my absence, I’m disappointed that the Republicans on the committee have held back a few,” she said.
“I am confident that when I get back to the Senate, we can quickly remove the remaining qualified candidates from committee and take them to the Senate floor for a vote.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed Feinstein’s return to the Senate, saying on Tuesday, “I’m glad my friend Dianne is back in the Senate and ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work.” . After talking to her several times over the past few weeks, it’s clear she’s back where she wants to be.’
Feinstein has already announced her retirement in 2024 and California Representatives Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee have already announced their intentions to replace her in the Senate.