One prominent House Democrats said that Dianne Feinstein’s wellbeing doesn’t concern him because ‘I don’t have a medical degree’ as questions continue to surround the Congresswoman’s health.
Feinstein sparked confusion during her first appearance in the Senate in close to three months by claiming she has been there the whole time.
‘No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting,’ the 89-year-old told reporters on Tuesday when they asked how she was feeling and what her colleagues thought of her return. ‘Please. You either know or don’t know,’ she bizarrely added.
California Congressman Pete Aguilar dodged questions about Feinstein’s health Wednesday, scoffing that he did not ‘have a medical degree.’
Aguilar was seemingly reluctant to criticize one of his colleagues as he admitted House Democrats would need liberals in the Senate to have ‘their backs’ on upcoming votes.
A prominent House Democrat said that Dianne Feinstein’s wellbeing doesn’t concern him because ‘I don’t have a medical degree’ as questions continue to surround the Congresswoman’s health
Feinstein has been on an extended absence following a case of shingles. She returned last week in a wheelchair and said in a statement she’s on doctor’s orders to work a lighter schedule.
In an interview upon her return, some top house Democrats said they were happy see Feinstein again and were unwilling to question her role in the Senate.
Hawaii’s Rep. Ted Lieu joked that Democrats ‘don’t get in the way of conversations and their doctors’ when asked about the octogenarian’s ability to legislate.
‘I don’t have a medical degree, so I’m not going to comment on how she’s feeling or what she looks like,’ said Rep. Aguilar.
‘We expect Senate Democrats to have our backs on some of these votes and discussions … I appreciate the fact that she’s back working and we wish her nothing but the best.’
Congressman Ted Lieu of Hawaii, a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, dug in further on the medical theme.
‘Democrats don’t get in the way of conversations between patients and their doctors,’ he said.
‘Sen. Feinstein came back last week and she voted, and that was very good.’
Another California official, Representative Mike Levin, also refused to speculate on Feinstein’s health.
‘I’m delighted that she’s back and that she’s voting and participating in the Judiciary Committee and I think that it says it all,’ he said. ‘I’m happy she’s back and happy she’s able to perform her duties.’
‘I don’t have a medical degree, so I’m not going to comment on how she’s feeling or what she looks like,’ said California Congressman Pete Aguilar
‘Democrats don’t get in the way of conversations between patients and their doctors,’ Representative Ted Lieu of Hawaii said
Another California official, Representative Mike Levin, also refused to speculate on Feinstein’s health
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Democrat Senator John Fetterman sparked similar concerns Tuesday over his stumbling speech at a hearing about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. He suffered a stroke while campaigning last year, but was still elected to office.
Last month, Feinstein requested to be temporarily replaced on the Judiciary Committee.
Now, there is more concern for Feinstein, whose physical and mental capacity has deteriorated in recent years, after she appeared to forget that she had been absent the past two and a half months.
When Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal was asked if there was optimism that Feinstein could return to being a fully functioning, contributing member of the committee like her old self.
‘There’s one job that no one else can do for us, which is to vote,’ Blumenthal said. ‘And she’s been doing that job in the last few days, and so far as I can tell, she’s been doing well.’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer greeted Senator Dianne Feinstein upon her return
‘Hi everybody,’ Feinstein said when she entered the building on Wednesday
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, however, said: ‘I’m gonna leave that to the medics.’
Feinstein arrived at the Senate on Wednesday after flying in from California – where she was recovering in her San Francisco home – to Washington D.C.
‘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. My doctors have advised me to work a lighter schedule as I return to the Senate,’ she said in a statement.
She then made her return to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, arriving nearly 90 minutes late and after some judicial nominees had already been voted on.
She received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats alike on the panel when she joined them after being gone due to health issues.
Chairman Dick Durbin welcomed Senator Feinstein back
Senator Dianne Feinstein has been using a wheelchair to get around the Capitol
Feinstein takes her seat at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill
Side-effects include lingering pain known as postherpetic neuralgia, painful eye infections that may result in vision loss, facial paralysis, or problems with hearing or balance, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Feinstein arrived in time to vote for the advancement of three of President Joe Biden’s nominees. She has faced fire from members of her own party for her prolonged absence in the Senate, which held up confirmation of some judges.
Meanwhile, Feinstein has said she won’t run for re-election in 2024.
The race to replace her is already competitive with several Democrats running to fill a Senate seat that hasn’t been vacant for 30 years, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.
There are concerns that if Feinstein did resign, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom – who has to name someone to fill out her term – could upend the race to replace her by appointing someone already running for the seat.
He has said he would appoint a black woman to the job. Rep. Lee is black.
And Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who has led the latest round of calls for Feinstein’s resignation, has endorsed Lee in the primary to replace Feinstein.
California has a jungle primary, meaning the top two winners, regardless of party, move forward to the general election. That means the heavily-Democratic state could see two Democrats running in the November 2024 election.
