Dianne Feinstein, one of America’s most famous politicians, has announced her retirement from politics. The longest-serving Democrat in the US Senate announced on Tuesday that she would not run again in 2024. “I want to do as much as I can for California by the end of my term next year,” she said in a statement.
Feinstein is 89 years old and has held numerous offices during her political career. She was the first woman mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988 and has represented her state in the Senate since 1992. At that time, she was the first woman to become a Senator for California. She was also the first woman to serve on the Judiciary Committee, as well as the first woman to chair the Rules of Procedure Committee and the Intelligence Committee.
One of her main political tasks was the fight against the loose gun laws in the USA. In 1994, she spearheaded legislation banning semi-automatic weapons. When the ban expired in 2004, there were several attempts to enact a new ban, all of which failed. Feinstein’s new 2013 bill would permanently ban assault weapons but was defeated by the Senate. For then-President Barack Obama, it was a serious political defeat.
Recently there was criticism of Dianne Feinstein. She is no longer up to her job and suffers from cognitive decline. Feinstein was hit by the allegations and attributed mistakes she had made to the fact that she was suffering from stress. Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, defended Feinstein against the “ruthless” attacks.
“She’s a Legend”
She announced her departure to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a tearful speech. “She’s a legend,” he said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said his state and the entire United States “owe her a deep debt of gratitude.”
President Joe Biden also echoed the words of praise. “I’ve worked with more US senators than just about anyone,” he said. “I can honestly say that Dianne Feinstein is one of the best.”