WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 21: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown, in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill March 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's pick to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court, will begin four days of nomination hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Jackson would become the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) returned to the Senate floor earlier this month after a bout with shingles kept her from work. But a recent New York Times report outlines the 89-year-old lawmaker’s heavy reliance on staff and aides and describes moments of concerning memory loss. The report calls into question the senator’s ability to function in the Senate.
While they serve the typical roles of congressional staffers, Feinstein’s aides also help the lawmaker in her old age as her health declines. The report outlines a concerning example from last year when Feinstein reportedly expressed confusion when Vice President Kamala Harris was presiding over the Senate for an important vote. Staffers were heard explaining the vote and the circumstances to the Senator.
As she works on a limited schedule, Feinstein is strictly protected by staffers. She is rarely photographed and brought near reporters because staffers and Capitol Police act as a barrier.
A number of Democrats and California constituents have criticized the staffers’ roles and Feinstein’s inability to work without them.
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Feinstein has refused to relinquish her position despite her declining health.
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