From finding Harvey Milk to trailblazing in the Senate - the life of Dianne Feinstein

On her very last day on Earth, Feinstein was working in the Senate chamber she helped shape for three decades

Senator Dianne Feinstein, listens as the Senate Judiciary Committee begins debate on 4 April 2022 (AP)

On Thursday morning, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was at the Capitol voting on the stopgap bill, trying to avert a government shutdown. On Friday morning, the country learned of her passing. On her very last day on Earth, Feinstein was working in the Senate chamber she helped shape for three decades. She was 90 years old.

Dianne Feinstein leaves behind a legacy as a trailblazer with a laundry list of historic firsts along her path to becoming the oldest and longest-serving woman Senator. A longtime advocate of civil rights, women’s reproductive rights, environmental issues, and gun reform, Feinstein’s impact on the nation and her home state of California is undeniable. Feinstein’s last few years in office were plagued with ailing health and calls for her to resign, but her life and career are defined by much more than that.

Feinstein’s journey in politics began in San Francisco. She was the first woman president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, and in that role, a tragedy tested her. She rose to the occasion. On November 27, 1978, Dan White, a former member of the Board of Supervisors, climbed through a City Hall window and assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

It was Dianne Feinstein who discovered Milk’s body, attempting in vain to save his life. She then faced the daunting task of informing the public about the tragic deaths, revealing that the suspect was Dan White. This series of events thrust Feinstein into the role of acting mayor. She later became the first woman elected mayor of San Francisco, serving for a decade during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, where she funded research and treatment.

Feinstein would go on to become the first woman elected Senator of California in the historic year of the woman alongside Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in 1992. She was also the first woman to serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1993. She was the first chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee in 2007 and the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2009. She paved a path other women could walk down.

Throughout her tenure in the Senate, Feinstein was known for her unwavering commitment to gun control measures. She championed the assault weapons ban alongside then-Senator Joe Biden, which was signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton in 1994. She continued to advocate for gun reform even after the ban’s expiration in 2004.

As chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, she led a comprehensive review of the CIA’s detention and interrogation program post-9/11 and released a report. This was remarkable, given her initial support for the Iraq War. Her stance on releasing the torture report put her at odds with the CIA, who opposed its release, but in the end, it proved to be the right thing to do, resulting in legislation that barred the use of torture methods.

After her death, President Joe Biden, a friend of Feinstein as well as a colleague, released a statement expanding upon her legacy: “Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties. She’s made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations. Often the only woman in the room, Dianne was a role model for so many Americans.”

Scrutiny of Feinstein’s age became an issue during the 2018 Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings, as progressives criticized her performance. She began to face increasing criticism and controversy as her health deteriorated, and she refused to resign in recent years. Feinstein grappled with numerous health issues, including falls, hospitalizations, and memory lapses. After mounting pressure, she said she would retire after her term ended in 2025. That announcement sparked a primary race of formidable candidates that just got more complicated.

Now that Feinstein’s Senate seat is vacated, California’s process dictates that Governor Gavin Newsom can appoint a successor. Newsom previously committed to appointing a Black woman to the seat, which led many to believe it would be Rep Barbara Lee (D-CA), who is currently running in the primary race for Feinstein’s Senate seat. But Newsom has since said he won’t appoint anyone currently running for the seat and instead would appoint an interim replacement to avoid interfering in the primary, a move that frustrated Lee.

Reps Adam Schiff (D-CA.) and Katie Porter (D-CA) are also running for the seat. Schiff has been endorsed by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Given Newsom’s comments, it is unlikely that Newsom will appoint anyone running for the seat, so the question now becomes who will Newsom appoint and how quickly?

Newsom is likely feeling the pressure right now. There is a looming government shutdown, and Democrats need all the votes they can get in their very slim Senate majority, which is now at 50-49 without Feinstein. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is also facing calls to resign, which would lead to another replacement in the Senate. Also, the Senate Judiciary Committee is one to watch. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has vowed to block a potential Feinstein replacement on the Committee if she retired early. This would have a damaging impact on Biden’s ability to confirm judges.

There is a lot up in the air right now, and a lot at stake. As the country mourns Dianne Feinstein, all eyes are now on Gavin Newsom.