Feinstein’s Hospitalized For Fall As Calls For Resignation Mount

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) took a fall at her California residence on Tuesday, leading to a brief hospitalization, according to her office’s confirmation to various news outlets.

Sources have disclosed that the 90-year-old senator was taken to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precautionary measure following a minor tumble at her home. The incident reportedly happened at her home in San Francisco, a location she had previously utilized as a place of recovery during an illness earlier this year.

Her office, in statements to both Fox News and NBC News, assured the public that all medical scans conducted were clear, and she was able to return home after a brief stay.

Initial reports were brought to light by TMZ, shedding light on the fall, although the extent of any potential injuries she sustained remains uncertain. 

This incident surfaces amid mounting concerns about Feinstein’s health and growing demands for her resignation.

BREAKING: Dianne Feinstein hospitalized after suffering fall.

There really needs to be something done about her retiring.

— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) August 9, 2023

Feinstein’s recent appearance at a Senate Appropriations Committee vote prompted attention, as she appeared somewhat confused. During the vote, committee chair Patty Murray (D-WA) offered guidance on how Feinstein should vote after the senator veered off course, opting to discuss her reasons for supporting the bill instead of simply voting “aye” or “no.” 

An aide had intervened to whisper something to her when Murray instructed her to “Just say, ‘Aye.’”

Feinstein’s absence from the Senate due to her health-related issues, including a bout of shingles, led to her missing over 90 votes in a two-month span earlier in the year. Even before her health challenges, concerns about her declining mental health had emerged. 

A report by The New York Times from last year detailed how Democrats were grappling with managing her cognitive decline discreetly. The report highlighted instances where she struggled to recall colleagues’ names, frequently forgot details of meetings, lost track of phone conversations and occasionally seemed bewildered.

Feinstein is poised to retire at the conclusion of her term in 2025, with Reps Katie Porter (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) contending for her seat. Meanwhile, reports have surfaced suggesting that she has delegated power of attorney for her legal affairs to her daughter, Katherine.