After an absence due to shingles that spanned several months, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is headed back to Washington, D.C., as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The report noted that "Feinstein boarded a chartered private plane Tuesday, according to sources close to the senator," and that they confirmed her departure with Feinstein's spokesperson Adam Russell.
Other outlets have since reported on and confirmed Feinstein being on the move.
Confirming @sfchronicle report that Sen @SenFeinstein is on her way back to DC today.
— Jennifer Haberkorn (@jenhab) May 9, 2023
Fox confirms that Dem CA Sen Feinstein is returning to DC after being out since mid-February, suffering from shingles. Unclear if she will vote later today. The Judiciary Cmte has several controversial nominations teed up for Thursday
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 9, 2023
Feinstein's return comes despite and perhaps in defiance of those who called on her to resign, including some of her Democratic colleagues in Congress, such as Rep. Ro Khanna, who also represents California.
Democratic-friendly outlets also issued similar calls. Last Friday, The New York Times published an editorial, "Dianne Feinstein Has to Act."
"If she cannot fulfill her obligations to the Senate and to her constituents, she should resign and turn over her responsibilities to an appointed successor," the editorial read at one point. It only got more forceful from there as it also sought to downplay how her return was expected and hoped to come soon.
Those issuing such calls for Feinstein to resign have pointed to how her absence was supposedly holding up the confirmation of judicial nominees, though the senator's office released a fact-check last week about such claims, just before the editorial referenced above was published.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) had also pointed out that it's only the most liberal, radical nominees who can't get confirmed.
Ted Cruz Issues Crucial Reminder About Democrats' Treatment of Dianne Feinstein https://t.co/LKFWO7Uxa7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2023
During his recent Sunday morning appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) had expressed anxiety to host Jake Tapper about the consequences of Feinstein failing to return soon, though he hoped she would be back.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), whose notes from last week showed that this would be the timeline of when Feinstein would return, has indicated Feinstein appears to be ready to be back at work in the Senate.
Schumer on DiFi: “I’m glad that my friend Dianne is back in the Senate and ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work. After talking with her multiple times over the past few weeks, it’s clear she’s back where she wants to be and ready to deliver for California.”
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) May 9, 2023
Feinstein had indicated last December that she planned to finish out her term, but her office also indicated in February that she would not run for reelection in 2024.