Longtime Senator Diane Feinstein shows clear signs of cognitive decline, according to a new report, leaving her colleagues in Congress to fight over ways to persuade her to retire before her term ends in 2024.
“It’s bad and it’s getting worse,” a Democratic senator told the San Francisco Chronicle, who also said a member of the California congressional delegation who has known Feinstein (D-Calif.) For 15 years recently he had to introduce himself to her again. during a discussion that lasted several hours.
“I worked with her for a long time and long enough to know what she was like just a few years ago: always in command, always in charge, on top of the details, generally could not resist a conversation in which she drove a bill or an idea.” said the MP. “It simply came to our notice then. She was an intellectual and political force not so long ago, which is why my meeting with her was so shocking. Because there was simply no sign of that. “
The Chronicle report, which cites four of Feinstein’s Senate colleagues and three former officials and a member of the House, shows that the 88-year-old’s memory is deteriorating rapidly and her staff is doing much of her work.
A member of the California congressional delegation, who has known Senator Diane Feinstein for 15 years, reportedly had to introduce herself several times during a discussion that lasted several hours. Scott Applewright / AP Sen. Diane Feinstein was mayor of San Francisco before being elected to the Senate in 1992. Michael Reynolds / EPA
“There is a joke in the Hill, we have a great junior senator in Alex Padilla and experienced staff in Feinstein’s office,” said a former aide.
Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, has been one of the most influential and prominent members of the House for the past three decades, chairing the Senate Intelligence Committee for six years and serving as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the Trump administration.
However, two senators who spoke to the Chronicle told the paper that while she believes Feinstein partially recognizes them, she may not be able to remember their name or state. An official working for another senator claims to have seen their boss preventively introduce himself to Feinstein in the corridors of the Senate as if he were meeting her for the first time.
Sources who expressed concern about Feinstein noted that she has good days as well as bad days, and sometimes she looks like her old self.
Four of Senate Diane Feinstein’s colleagues in the Senate and three former officials, as well as a member of the House, said the 88-year-old’s memory was deteriorating rapidly. Rod Lamkey / CNP / MEGA
The senator defended her presentation in a statement shared with the Chronicle and The Post, saying: “Last year was extremely painful and distracting for me, I flew back and forth to visit my dying husband, who died just a few weeks ago. But there is no doubt that I am still serving and delivering for the people of California and will set my record against someone else. ”
Feinstein’s husband, Richard Bloom, died on February 27 at the age of 86 after battling cancer.
Several members of Congress defended Feinstein’s ability to do his job, with 82-year-old House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) saying she had not noticed a decline in her co-worker’s cognitive abilities.
Senator Diane Feinstein’s husband, Richard Bloom, died on February 27 after a battle with cancer. Roger Resmayer / Corbis / VCG via Getty Images
“Senator Feinstein is a workhorse for the people of California and a respected leader among his colleagues in the Senate. She is constantly traveling between California and the Capitol, working relentlessly to ensure that Californians’ needs are met and voices are heard, “Pelosi said in a statement condemning the ridiculous attacks below her dignity and respect. in which it takes place. ”
Feinstein’s Senate colleague Alex Padilla (D-California) said he was aware of her health concerns, but added that “as someone who sees her several times a week, including in the Senate Judiciary Committee, I can tell you say she’s still doing the job and doing it well. ”
This is not the first time Feinstein’s mental acuity has come to the fore.
Senator Diane Feistein, surrounded by her husband Richard Bloom, was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on January 3, 2019. Alex Edelman / AFP via Getty Images
In November 2020, the Democrat participated in a Senate Judicial Committee hearing with then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. During his line of questioning, Feinstein repeated word for word a question Dorsey had already answered. In the following days, Feinstein resigned from his position in the rankings, although he remained on the committee.
At the time, several people told the New Yorker that Feinstein’s short-term memory was deteriorating, saying she “often forgets she was informed about the subject, accusing her staff of not doing it as soon as they did.”
A source told the paper that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had several “painful” talks with Feinstein about resigning, only to soon forget that the discussions had taken place.
During a Senate Judiciary hearing in November 2020 with then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Senator Diane Feinstein repeated word for word an inquiry that Dorsey has already answered. J. Scott Applewright / AP
In addition, many Democrats were concerned about how Feinstein handled the confirmation of the last candidate for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court, Amy Connie Barrett, in the fall of 2020.
During the trial, Feinstein mixed up several issues and praised then-President Lindsay Graham (R-SC) for chairing “one of the best hearings I have attended.”
Feinstein defended her ability to do her job at the time, saying: “I work hard. I have a good staff. I think I’m productive. And I represent the people of California as best I can. ”
Last year, Feinstein submitted documents to the Federal Election Commission to run again in 2024. However, it has not announced a formal decision on whether to run for a new term.
Add Comment