California Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s death highlighted the concerns many had about her competency to still be in office.
The senator’s chief of staff, David Grannis, released a statement Friday morning saying Feinstein passed away overnight at the age of 90.
Given her age and limitations in her final months in office, questions about the legitimacy of Feinstein’s final batch of decision-making was promptly called into question on social media.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted a clip showing how members of her staff repeatedly instructed the senator on how to vote during a committee hearing on the 2024 Defense Appropriations Act in July.
“Terminally sick in the final moments of her life, Sen. Dianne Feinstein was not peacefully embracing her children & grandchildren,” Johnson wrote.
“Instead she was wheeled into Congress and cruelly humiliated as staffers VOTED FOR HER to further Biden’s agenda. Sick Monsters … Anything for power,” he added.
Terminally sick in the final moments of her life, Sen. Dianne Feinstein was not peacefully embracing her children & grandchildren.
Instead she was wheeled into Congress and cruelly humiliated as staffers VOTED FOR HER to further Biden’s agenda
Sick Monsters
Anything for power pic.twitter.com/49ukXO8V0O
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 29, 2023
The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month that Feinstein “is cloistered away from the public when not being prodded into action for brief votes, and is surrounded by a phalanx of defensive aides whenever members of the media approach.”
“In the resulting vacuum of information about the senator’s capabilities and coherence, little is known except her evident decline,” the news outlet added.
In February, Business Insider reported overhearing Feinstein coming off the Senate floor asking Grannis, “Did I vote for that?”
She was seemingly confused about a two-vote series she had just made.
Grannis shook his head, “No” in response.
Dianne Feinstein voted yesterday.
She was marked as a “yes” vote on the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. pic.twitter.com/HTKMPukDTz
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 29, 2023
Some on the internet were confused as to how Feinstein voted “yes” on a bill the day she passed away (according to The Daily Beast, it appears she cast her final vote hours before passing away.)
Fox News had previously reported that same month Feinstein’s office released a statement saying she would not be running for a seventh term.
However, the senator later that day told reporters on Capitol Hill she had not made a decision on whether she would be running.
A spokesperson for Feinstein told Fox News following this interchange, “The senator approved it going out today, just confusion on timing. The senator was out of the office for votes, a meeting, lunch and more votes when the announcement was sent.”
C-Span captured Feinstein’s final vote Thursday afternoon on a continuing resolution to fund the government until November.
Feinstein, with an apparent staff member by her side, walked into the chamber and voted, “Aye.”
Captured on @cspan: Dianne Feinstein’s final Senate vote, at around 12:50PM yesterday, on the continuing resolution to keep the government open:https://t.co/nuFDnLMMmQ
— Sam Brodey (@sambrodey) September 29, 2023
Blaze talk show host Glenn Beck posted on X, “In the last days of her life, Democrats wheeled Sen. Dianne Feinstein into Congress and TOLD her how to vote instead of letting her enjoy the time with her family. That’s elder abuse.”
In the last days of her life, Democrats wheeled Sen. Dianne Feinstein into Congress and TOLD her how to vote instead of letting her enjoy the time with her family. That’s elder abuse.
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) September 29, 2023
PragerU personality C.J. Pearson similarly wrote, “Those who forced Dianne Feinstein to stay in office for as long as they did, simply to prolong their party’s grasp on power, should be charged with elder abuse.”
Those who forced Dianne Feinstein to stay in office for as long as they did, simply to prolong their party’s grasp on power, should be charged with elder abuse.
My thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time.
— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) September 29, 2023
The Associated Press reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be looking to quickly appoint a replacement for Feinstein given the slim Democratic majority in the senate: 50 Democrats (including 3 independents who caucus with them) to 49 Republicans.
Many Democratic senators have also called for the resignation of of their colleague Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who was indicted last week for bribery.
Newsom previously promised to appoint a black woman to finish the term, should the need arise, and not choose one of the candidates currently running for the seat, which includes Rep. Barbara Lee of California, one of the most prominent black office holders in the state.
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