Senator Dianne Feinstein appeared confused during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday. When asked to vote on a proposal, Feinstein began giving a lengthy speech instead of simply saying “aye” or “nay” as requested. The committee chair, Senator Patty Murray, had to repeatedly tell Feinstein “just say aye” and remind her that it was time for a vote, not speeches. After some delay, Feinstein finally cast her vote. A spokesperson said Feinstein was preoccupied and did not realize a vote had been called. The incident raises further concerns about Feinstein’s ability to serve at age 90, as she has made other recent mistakes and often relies on aides.
What happens when that person is in mid- to late-stage dementia and can no longer even make decisions for herself? How can she step down from office given she very obviously struggles to recognize she’s in office? How can she be removed from office involuntarily? Ordinary people in her situation would have a guardian by now
She has a caretaker who is acting as a guardian, but that care taker is Nancy Pelosi’s niece, and Pelosi want’s Feinstein to finish her term, so the seat can go to Adam Shiff, and not be filled by Governor Newsom, who has said he would appoint a Black woman to the seat, likely a progressive. Maxine Waters or Barbara Lee.
As a counterpoint, Feinstein is on the Judiciary committee, and if she were to retire mid-term, Democrats would lose that seat until the next election. So Republicans could then halt any judicial appointments.
As a counter counterpoint, Feinstein hasn’t been showing up to that committee, so it’s already happening.
Great info, thank you. Regarding your first point, I don’t think Schiff has a chance at that seat, but I guess we’ll see
I can easily see the DNC having Newsom put Shiff in the seat if Feinstein dies (she’s not going out any other way). Then Shiff would be the incumbent and the DNC and Dem voters usually go for the incumbent. Otherwise, they’ll end up with Porter. She makes waves and the boys at the top, they don’t like waves.
Newsom has already said that he wouldn’t appoint Shiff, he quite clearly said a black woman. And his best options there are progressive women, like Waters or Lee.
People shouldn’t be continuing to vote her into office.
She’s my senator. I vote against her in the past 3 primaries… but not enough people do. I keep voting for her, not because I want her, but because the republican alternative is still somehow worse.
Also I email her office a few times a year asking her to resign and let someone take her place.
Sounds like a job for Ranked Choice Voting
I’d vote for that.
She was last elected 5 years ago and has dramatically declined since then. I’m asking what can be done with her in office right now given her condition. Does CA have recalls?
There is no mechanism to recall a sitting senator, regardless of the state. The only process to remove a senator once in office is if the Senate themselves vote to remove her. (Which will never happen)
The Constitution lays this out quite clearly.
Article 1, Section 5:
The way it’s supposed to work is voters are supposed to notice and not reelect that person. But not enough voters participate in primaries and then when general elections roll around, we’re stuck electing the moderate dinosaur or the fascist. People need to stop asking Congress, a body conposed of grandparents, to outlaw grandparents (and therefore themselves) from running and start just not hiring them anymore. That way when you have an old person who still has their wits and does a good job, you can keep them around instead of it being all or nothing.
If only there was something her family could do. Oh well.
The Senate can remove members, it is in the constitution. I don’t know all the details, but it rarely happens.