Feinstein goes to hospital as precaution after falling
Sen. Dianne Feinstein was briefly hospitalized Tuesday evening after a minor fall in her San Francisco home, her spokesperson Adam Russell told The Chronicle.
Feinstein went to the hospital as a precaution and was there for an hour or two. Her scans were clear, and she has returned home, he said.
Feinstein, who is 90, has struggled with her health in recent years. She returned to Washington on May 9 after a nearly threemonth absence while ill with a serious bout of shingles. The shingles led to complications, including Ramsay Hunt syndrome that caused side effects like vision and balance impairment, she said in May.
Feinstein had been scheduled to attend an anniversary event for the San Francisco cable cars Aug. 2, but missed the event due to a cough.
In addition to the illnesses, questions about Feinstein’s mental fitness have followed her for more than two years, and even her Democratic colleagues told The Chronicle in April 2022 that they believe her memory issues were hindering her ability to do the job. Feinstein defended her abilities amid each new wave of concern.
Feinstein was first elected to the Senate in 1992. She announced on Feb. 14 that she will not seek reelection in 2024, but intends to serve out the remainder of her term.
During her threemonth absence from the Senate earlier this year, Feinstein faced calls to resign from the New York Times editorial board, progressive Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara, and Alexandria OcasioCortez, D-N.Y., and liberal activists. But other Democrats have defended her decision to remain in the Senate, citing Republicans’ likely unwillingness to seat a new member of the Judiciary Committee, which would result in fewer judicial confirmations.
Feinstein took legal action in San Francisco last month, claiming she has been unable to access any of her late husband’s assets, including money to pay for “significant medical expenses” after the bout with shingles.