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☆ Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: The condition public figures Sen. Dianne Feinstein and pop star Justin Bieber have brought to light
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the 89-year-old California Democrat who was diagnosed with shingles in February, confirmed Thursday she “continues to have complications” from a viral infection called Ramsay Hunt syndrome. “This makes its true frequency more difficult to determine,” the Cleveland Clinic noted. Ramsay Hunt syndrome can also cause hearing loss on the side of the face affected. About 70% of people with Ramsay Hunt will regain complete or “almost complete” function of facial muscles, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with antiviral therapy seem to improve long-term outcomes,” the Cleveland Clinic notes on its website.

☆ Staff for a 95-year-old federal judge say she is "losing it, mentally" and talking to a dead colleague
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Judge Pauline Newman says her fellow appeals judges are trying to force her off the Federal Circuit. She claims she's been "hacked" when she can't find a file or email, the decision quoted staff saying. Her peers say Judge Newman has slowed downOver the years, Judge Newman has established a reputation as a prolific dissenter, frequently and openly disagreeing with her colleagues on issues of patent law. The typical federal judge last year was 68 years old. The judges investigating Newman said allegations about her interactions with staff weren't the only thing that needed to be evaluated.

☆ Dianne Feinstein claimed she hasn't 'been gone' when asked about her lengthy absence from the Senate: 'No, I've been here. I've been voting'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Feinstein insisted to reporters on Tuesday that she hasn't been absent from the Senate. I've been voting," she told LA Times' Ben Oreskes at the Capitol on Tuesday. The 89-year-old senator returned to Washington last week after a nearly 3-month-long absence. "No, I haven't been gone," she told the Times' Ben Oreskes on Tuesday when asked how her Senate colleagues have responded to her return. Feinstein then reportedly deflected a question about lawmakers calling for her to resign before an aide wheeled her away.

☆ Dianne Feinstein's staff makes sure the senator never walks around the Capitol by herself out of concern for what she might say to reporters amid her declining health and old age, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As her health declined, her staff began to follow her wherever she goes in the Capitol, per Rolling Stone. Feinstein returned to the Senate on Wednesday after spending nearly three months away from Washington due to a shingles infection. For the past few years, Feinstein's staff felt it necessary to ensure the senator is never alone when she walks around the Capitol, sources told Rolling Stone. Jamarcus Purley, a former staff member fired last February for work performance issues, told the magazine that Feinstein's office developed the system without her knowing. Feinstein's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ Gig work value is too great to rush a US overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Julie Su, the president’s choice for labor secretary, has a history of redefining gig work. And while health insurance and retirement savings are valuable perks, gig workers view flexibility in the same way. Half of surveyed gig workers, meanwhile, make less than a quarter of their income from freelancing. Gig work has also grown alongside traditional employment, not at its expense. With most gig workers happy as they are, a one-size-fits-all rethink threatens pointless harm to a growing corner of the economy.

☆ Dianne Feinstein once mistook GOP Sen. Tim Scott for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, book says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dianne Feinstein once mistook two different Black senators, according to a story relayed in a new book. She confused GOP Sen. Tim Scott for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, saying she'd been rooting for him. Scott reportedly played along, telling Feinstein that her "support means a lot." Scott, a Republican who's served in the Senate since 2013, is said to have played along with Feinstein's apparent confusion. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 🟧 (@RepDeanPhillips) April 12, 2023But on Wednesday, Feinstein finally returned to the Capitol, continuing to suffer balance and vision impairments.

☆ Dianne Feinstein returns to the Senate following a nearly 3-month absence and calls for her resignation from fellow Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein returned to the US Senate on Wednesday. Several fellow Democrats called for her to resign, arguing her absence imperiled their party's agenda. The 89-year-old California Democrat returned this week after spending nearly 3 months away from Washington due to complications from a shingles infection. But her prolonged absence created a deadlock on the Senate Judiciary Committee, preventing Democrats from swiftly advancing nominees to the floor that lacked Republican support. Feinstein arrived at the Capitol just before 3pm on Wednesday and was greeted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

☆ The Age of Dianne Feinstein
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( William Mcgurn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

William McGurn is a member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board and writes the weekly "Main Street" column for the Journal each Tuesday. Previously he served as Chief Speechwriter for President George W. Bush. Mr. McGurn has served as chief editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal in New York. He spent more than a decade overseas -- in Brussels for The Wall Street Journal/Europe and in Hong Kong with both the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review. Bill is author of a book on Hong Kong ("Perfidious Albion") and a monograph on terrorism ("Terrorist or Freedom Fighter").

☆ Sen. Dianne Feinstein to Return to Senate After Extended Absence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Natalie Andrews | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has said she won’t be seeking re-election, left the Senate floor after a vote in February. Photo: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERSSen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) is set to return to the Capitol this week, according to her spokesman, after a monthslong absence from the Senate during which Democrats struggled to advance some nominees. Mrs. Feinstein, 89 years old, underwent treatment for shingles in February and has been absent from the Senate since then, missing dozens of votes. She hadn’t provided a timeline for returning to Washington, fueling speculation about her plans and calls from some Democrats for her to resign. Her spokesman said she plans to vote on Wednesday, as the Senate will consider some Biden administration nominations.

CNN —Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who has been away from the Senate since February while recovering from shingles, will return to Washington on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson. Feinstein sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and without her vote on the panel, Democrats said that they would have to delay some of President Biden’s key judicial nominees. In April, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California became the first member of Congress to call on Feinstein to resign. In April, the California senator asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace her on the Judiciary Committee, and he proposed that Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin take her spot. She needs to get well so she can get back to work,” Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is also 89, said.

☆ Dianne Feinstein returning to U.S. Senate after health-related absence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, will return to Washington on Tuesday after a months-long absence due to illness, her spokesman said, restoring Democrats' 51-49 majority to full strength. The trailblazing lawmaker had been sidelined since February as she recovered from a bout of shingles, which had led to calls from some fellow Democrats to step aside and allow someone else to take her place. “I’m glad that my friend Dianne is back in the Senate and ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a written statement. Democrats' worries were further heightened as lawmakers have been spending 2023 arguing over raising the nation's borrowing authority. Feinstein could provide crucial support for whatever debt limit bill comes before the Senate that would avert a first-ever default on U.S. debt.

☆ Dianne Feinstein is on her way back to Washington after being sidelined with shingles: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein is traveling back to Washington, DC. Feinstein had been away from the Capitol for several months after she contracted shingles. Feinstein, who's 89 years old, hasn't cast a vote in the Senate since her diagnosis in mid-February. Feinstein ultimately asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to find a temporary replacement for her on the Judiciary Committee, but Schumer's attempts were rebuffed by Senate Republicans. In February, Feinstein announced that she will not be running for office again in 2024, and will retire at the end of her term.

☆ Senate Democrats Seek Accounting of Gifts to Thomas and Other Justices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He refused to take part in a recent Judiciary Committee hearing on possible new ethics rules, citing separation of powers issues. In the letter, the Democrats said the information they were seeking from Mr. Crow would help the committee correct shortcomings in the court’s current ethics and disclosure framework. “We’re seeking information on whether individuals with interests before the Supreme Court were able to gain access to Justices through gifts, lodging, and travel from Harlan Crow and his companies,” Mr. Durbin said in a tweet on Tuesday. Mr. Durbin has so far held back from threatening subpoenas to obtain information or compel testimony from the justices or others. Ms. Feinstein signed the new letter to Mr. Crow, but her unavailability could prevent the committee’s Democrats from winning approval of a subpoena, given Republican opposition.

☆ Feinstein Returning to Senate, Bringing Democrats Back to Full Majority
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was not clear if Ms. Feinstein, 89, would make it back in time for a vote scheduled for Tuesday night, a spokesman said. But her return to the chamber would restore a Democratic majority to the Judiciary Committee, where Democrats were becoming increasingly concerned about their limited ability to move forward with judicial nominations. Ms. Feinstein, who was hospitalized in February for shingles, for weeks gave no detailed updates about her health as she recovered in San Francisco, and provided no timeline for her planned return to the Senate. Her prolonged absence left her colleagues in the Senate fearing that they would be short a vote not only on the Judiciary Committee but also on other crucial matters. “The bottom line is the business of the committee and the Senate is affected by her absence,” Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

☆ Senate Democrats ask billionaire Harlan Crow to list gifts to Clarence Thomas and any other justices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Summer Concepcion | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They also asked Crow to provide a full list of real estate transactions, transportation, lodging and admission to private clubs he might have provided. All 11 Democrats, including Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., who has been absent from the Senate due to health issues, signed the letter. Republicans on the committee and the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to NBC News' requests for comment. Wyden asked for answers by May 8, the same day Durbin issued his latest letter to Crow. The Supreme Court in March tightened some of its rules on what judges and justices need to include in annual financial disclosure statements.

☆ Dianne Feinstein set to return to Senate after nearly 3-month absence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Garrett Haake | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who announced she will not be seeking re-election, leaves the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 14, 2023. WASHINGTON — California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is returning to the Senate after a nearly three-month absence due to health problems, according to a spokesperson for the senator. With Democrats holding just a single-seat advantage in the Senate, Feinstein's absence complicated her party's efforts to confirm some of President Joe Biden's nominees. Feinstein later disputed that her absence had in any way limited the number of nominees advanced by the committee. "I'm confident that when I return to the Senate, we will be able to move the remaining qualified nominees out of committee quickly and to the Senate floor for a vote."

☆ Senate Judiciary chair says ‘everything is on the table’ in response to Clarence Thomas revelations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Aileen Graef | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin said Sunday that “everything is on the table” as the panel scrutinizes new ethics concerns around Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Crow also purchased several real estate properties, including the home where Thomas’ mother lives, from the Thomas family and paid boarding school tuition for Thomas’ grandnephew, according to ProPublica. But Durbin said Sunday the recent revelations “just embarrasses me” as he called on Chief Justice John Roberts to impose a code of conduct on the court. Roberts previously declined Durbin’s request to voluntarily testify in a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. Feinstein, 89, has been away from the Senate since March as she recovers at home in California from shingles.

☆ Opinion | Dianne Feinstein Has to Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Without Senator Dianne Feinstein, there might never have been an assault weapons ban in 1994. Or the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. Her absence is a failure that deprives American voters of full representation on legislation and appointments that will affect them for decades to come. (Proxy voting is allowed in the committee, but a proxy cannot be the decisive vote if the committee is otherwise evenly divided, as it often is.) Ms. Feinstein offered to step away from the committee, but Republican senators blocked any effort at appointing a temporary replacement.

☆ New York Times editorial board says Chuck Schumer should pressure Dianne Feinstein to 'return or resign'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The New York Times editorial board said that Chuck Schumer should pressure Dianne Feinstein to "return or resign." "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 board wrote. According to its website, the New York Times editorial board comprises opinion journalists "who rely on research, debate and individual expertise to reach a shared view of important issues." A group of women Democratic senators, however, told Insider that the calls for Feinstein to resign were sexist and "unprecedented." Noting this point, the New York Times editorial board agreed that in its history, the historically predominately male Senate has had several instances of its male members missing years of legislative session time due to illness.

☆ America Hits Bottom With Trump and Biden in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Joseph Epstein | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

What about Joe Biden? How has it come about that the more-than-likely presidential candidates of our two political parties in 2024 turn out to be Donald Trump and Joe Biden? One can of course be a good man and a poor president. But no one would argue that either Mr. Trump or Mr. Biden is a notably good man. Each has been ethically challenged and found wanting: Mr. Trump by his long experience in the New York real-estate world, Mr. Biden by his 36 years in the Senate.

☆ Feinstein claims there's been 'no slowdown' with her absence before blaming GOP for slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein argued that her absence from the Senate hasn't harmed her party. In her newest statement, Feinstein expressed optimism about returning to the Senate. Republicans have been able to stall some of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees during Feinstein's absence from the panel. Both political parties in recent years have put an enormous focus on confirming judicial nominees to lifetime federal appointments. Beyond judicial nominees, Democrats are expected to face a potentially razor-thin margin on avoiding a catastrophic debt default that could come as soon as early June.

☆ Top Senate Democrats push for new ethics rules in wake of Clarence Thomas report as Republicans defend justice
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Plus some Democrats on the panel, like Sen. Dick Blumenthal, want to go much further than Durbin in the Thomas probe – exposing divisions within the ranks. “I hope that Chief Justice Roberts reads his story this morning and understands something has to be done,” Durbin told CNN. “The reputation of the Supreme Court is at stake here. “The drip, drip, drip of these destructive disclosures is going to destroy the United States Supreme Court unless there is an effective proper investigation,” he said. “The court is responsible for their own guidelines in that regard,” Romney told CNN.

☆ Biden nominates four more judges in D.C., Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden hosts a reception to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, at the White House, in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File PhotoWASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden nominated another four federal judges on Wednesday, including two women of Asian descent who would be the first such U.S. judges on their court or in their state. The Senate, which Biden's fellow Democrats narrowly control, must approve the candidates, who were nominated to posts in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., according to a White House statement. Republicans had blocked Democrats' efforts to temporarily replace Feinstein on the committee, which approves federal judges before they go for a vote before the full Senate. So far, the Senate has confirmed 122 of Biden's nominees to lifetime posts on the federal courts, according to the White House.

☆ Photo of Chuck Schumer's notes show he's 'hopeful' Dianne Feinstein returns to the Senate next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein are "hopeful" she'll return to the Senate next week, per a photograph of Schumer's notes. Feinstein hasn't voted in the Senate since mid-February, around the time of her shingles diagnosis. In her absence, Senate Democrats have faced difficulties confirming judges. With Feinstein absent from the Senate, Senate Republicans — along with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin — voted 50-49 to roll back a Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency rule regarding pollution from trucks. Several prominent California Democrats have already declared to run for her seat, including Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.

For the past few months, a single lawmaker has prevented Democrats from carrying out their agenda in Congress. For now, there is no simple solution in sight. Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains the issue surrounding Senator Dianne Feinstein.

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