- Senator Diane Feinstein returned to the Senate this week, ignoring calls to resign.
- According to Rolling Stone magazine, as her health deteriorated, staff began escorting her wherever she went inside the Capitol.
- “They wouldn’t just let her quit, but she doesn’t even know that,” said a former employee.
In Diane Feinstein’s office, worried about what an aging senator in declining health might say to reporters, staffers always follow the senator around the Capitol. I have to. multiple sources told Rolling Stone magazine..
Feinstein returned to the Senate on Wednesday after being away from Washington for nearly three months because of a shingles infection. But her mental acumen has also come under scrutiny in recent years, with reports showing the 89-year-old senator occasionally forgetting her conversations and struggling with her short-term memory. ing.
Just before he was hospitalized in March, insiders reported Feinstein seemed confused about how to vote on the Senate floor.
Over the past few years, Feinstein’s staff felt the need to make sure Feinstein was never alone as he walked through the Capitol, a person familiar with the matter told Rolling Stone. It says.
Jamalkas Parley, a former staffer who was fired last February for poor performance, told the magazine that Feinstein’s office had developed the system without her knowledge.
“They wouldn’t let her go out alone, but she doesn’t even know that,” Purley said.
Democratic colleagues, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recently called for the immediate resignation of the longtime senator. Feinstein has not responded to such calls since, but he previously said he would retire at the end of 2024.
The California Democrat is the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate, reaching this milestone after holding the seat for more than 30 years. Beyond California, Mr. Feinstein left an indelible mark on American politics, leading efforts to ban assault weapons and investigate the CIA’s detainment plans.
Feinstein’s office did not respond to a request for comment.