More concerning reports on Senator Feinstein’s health.
According to a The New York Times report entitled Feinstein, Back in the Senate, Relies Heavily on Staff to Function, ailing Golden State Senator Dianne Feinstein was confused last year when Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
The Times even acknowledges Feinstein’s “memory problems.”
From The New York Times:
All senators rely heavily on staff. But for years, Ms. Feinstein’s memory problems have meant that she has needed far more support than other senators. Briefing her on the news of the day requires longer sessions and more background information.
At times she has expressed confusion about the basics of how the Senate functions. When Vice President Kamala Harris was presiding over the chamber last year in one of many instances in which she was called upon to cast a tiebreaking vote, Ms. Feinstein expressed confusion, according to a person who witnessed the scene, asking her colleagues, “What is she doing here?” Staff members have been overheard explaining to her that she cannot leave yet because there are more votes to come.
89-year-old Feinstein is the oldest member of the Senate. In addition to the standard memory loss that may comes with old age, she hasn’t fully recovered from her fight with shingles.
“Even though I’ve made significant progress and was able to return to Washington, I’m still experiencing some side effects from the shingles virus,” Feinstein said earlier this month. “My doctors have advised me to work a lighter schedule as I return to the Senate. I’m hopeful those issues will subside as I continue to recover.”
Feinstein has faced calls from within her own party to step down.
More over at The New York Times:
Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, is surrounded at all times by aides who remind her how and when to vote and explain what’s happening when she grows confused. Their roles are now under scrutiny amid increasing concern over Feinstein’s refusal to step down. https://t.co/PEfnfDWymc
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 28, 2023
