Dianne Feinstein, US senator from California, dies at 90

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 to become the first woman to represent California in that body, died at her home in Washington, D.C., Thursday night, her chief of staff confirmed Friday. She was 90.

“Sadly, Senator Feinstein passed away last night at her home in Washington, D.C. Her passing is a great loss for so many, from those who loved and cared for her to the people of California that she dedicated her life to serving,” James Sauls, Feinstein’s chief of staff, said in a statement.

“Senator Feinstein never backed away from a fight for what was just and right. At the same time, she was always willing to work with anyone, even those she disagreed with, if it meant bettering the lives of Californians or the betterment of our nation,” Sauls said.

President Joe Biden said in a joint statement with first lady Jill Biden that Feinstein was a pioneering American. “A true trailblazer. And for Jill and me, a cherished friend.”

“In San Francisco, she showed enormous poise and courage in the wake of tragedy, and became a powerful voice for American values,” Biden said. “Serving in the Senate together for more than 15 years, I had a front row seat to what Dianne was able to accomplish. It’s why I recruited her to serve on the Judiciary Committee when I was Chairman — I knew what she was made of, and I wanted her on our team. There’s no better example of her skillful legislating and sheer force of will than when she turned passion into purpose, and led the fight to ban assault weapons. 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 — a job she took seriously by mentoring countless public servants, many of whom now serve in my administration. She had an immense impact on younger female leaders for whom she generously opened doors. Dianne was tough, sharp, always prepared, and never pulled a punch, but she was also a kind and loyal friend, and that’s what Jill and I will miss the most.”

Feinstein was the senior senator from California and one of the first two women elected to the U.S. Senate from California.

“Dianne Feinstein, right from the start, was an icon for women in politics,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told ABC News.

Feinstein was the first woman mayor of San Francisco and the first woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

She was born in San Francisco on June 22, 1933, and graduated from Stanford University in 1955.

Feinstein, while serving as a supervisor in San Francisco, ascended to mayor upon the 1978 shooting deaths of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

After an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid in 1990, Feinstein was elected to the U.S. Senate for the first time in 1992, becoming the first woman to represent California in the Senate. She was joined just two months later by Barbara Boxer.

Former President Barack Obama issued a statement also calling Feinstein a “trailblazer” for breaking glass ceilings for women at various levels of politics.

“But once she broke those barriers and walked through those doors, she got to work,” Obama said. “I first got to know Dianne in the Senate, where she was a fierce advocate for gun safety measures and civil rights. Later, when I was president, I came to rely on her as a trusted partner in the fight to guarantee affordable healthcare and economic opportunity for everyone.

“The best politicians get into public service because they care about this country and the people they represent. That was certainly true of Dianne Feinstein, and all of us are better for it. Today Michelle and I are thinking of her daughter, Katherine, and everyone who knew and loved her.”

Rep. Ted Lieu posted on social media that “California and the country lost a barrier-breaker and an icon.”

“Through grit, grace and incredible intelligence, she succeeded in politics at a time when few women could. She paved the way for a historic number of women to have a seat at the table and a voice in Congress,” Lieu, D-Los Angeles, posted on social media.

“I am grateful to have known Senator Feinstein. It was an honor and a privilege to have worked with her on many issues impacting Californians — including helping our veterans. She had an incredible career guided by a love of our country and American values. We’re a better nation because of her leadership. I join her family, friends and our country in mourning her.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, posted on social media, “Senator Dianne Feinstein was an icon who represented California valiantly throughout her career.”

“Her legacy of progressive leadership on LGBTQ+ rights forged a path for a more equal country. She was a hero to our community and I’m incredibly saddened by this loss for our nation,” Garcia, who is openly gay, posted on social media.

Sauls called Feinstein a force of nature.

“There are few women who can be called senator, chairman, mayor, wife, mom and grandmother. Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who made an incredible impact on our country and her home state.

“She left a legacy that is undeniable and extraordinary. There is much to say about who she was and what she did, but for now, we are going to grieve the passing of our beloved boss, mentor and friend.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, said Feinstein’s legacy is unmatched.

“Today, the nation has truly lost a giant of the U.S. Senate, California has lost its trail-blazing leader, and I lost a real friend and mentor. Senator Dianne Feinstein was one of the finest legislators we have ever seen, and her accomplishments made our country and world a better place,” Schiff said in a statement.

“Senator Feinstein single-handedly pushed an assault weapons ban over the finish line, and never gave up her fight to end gun violence. She fought powerful agencies to investigate and uncover torture — and made sure it would never happen again. She helped protect California’s natural beauty and preserve its lands for generations. And she always fought for LGBTQ rights and women’s equality throughout her career.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement she was saddened by the passing of Feinstein and called her one of the nation’s great leaders.

“Senator Feinstein was a trailblazer on whose shoulders I, and women in elected office all across America, will always stand. She worked harder than anyone I knew on Capitol Hill, and she will be remembered as one of the most effective and impactful Senators in American history,” Bass said.

“Senator Feinstein’s grit and heart enabled her to bring her city together after she was thrust into San Francisco’s mayor’s office in the wake of a horrific tragedy. She saved countless lives through her work to keep assault weapons off of our streets, and she was a patriot who boldly stood against the use of torture and, in doing so, reminded America what we are supposed to stand for. She loved all of California, and led landmark legislation to create Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and protect millions of acres across our desert landscape representing the largest effort to protect public lands in the lower 48 states.”

Bass said the flags flying at all city facilities will be lowered to half-staff in memory of Feinstein.

“May her memory be a blessing, as her life certainly was. I extend my deepest condolences to her family and to all who loved her,” Bass said.

Feinstein was the first woman to chair the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee. She authored the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 1994. The legislation, prompted by the 101 California Street shooting, in which a gunman opened fire at a law firm in San Francisco’s financial district, killing eight people, led to a 10-year restriction on the sale and ownership of certain semi-automatic weapons.

“I worked with Republicans and Democrats alike,” Feinstein said in an interview with C-SPAN. “Ten Republicans along with 46 Democrats voted in favor of the amendment.”

Feinstein was experiencing health problems in recent years. She was hospitalized with shingles in February, when she was 89. That same month, Feinstein announced she would retire from the U.S. Senate when her term was up in 2024.

Feinstein was married three times and had one daughter, Katherine, from her first marriage. She married her third husband, investment banker Richard Blum, in 1980. They were married until his death from cancer in 2022.

Some of her more notable accomplishments in the U.S. Senate include creating a federal coordination of Amber Alerts, passing the California Desert Protection Act, which protected millions of acres of California deserts and created the Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks, reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act and authorized the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022 to ensure marriage equality into federal law.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Hahn said in a statement, “So many of us will never forget the moment she was thrust into the spotlight in the wake of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone’s murders. The poise and strength she showed in that crisis and the leadership she demonstrated over the course of her career paved the way for me and so many other women in politics. California has lost one of its greatest champions. May she rest in peace.”

Updated Sept. 29, 2023, 10:06 a.m.

More from Politics