The death of Dianne Feinstein, an icon of American politics

Posted by: 29/09/2023 – 21:09

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US Senate Dean Dianne Feinstein, a historic figure in the Democratic Party, died Thursday at the age of 90. When his death was announced, US senators observed a minute’s silence and a black velvet sheet was placed over his seat as a senator from California, which he had occupied for more than 30 years, reports our correspondent in Washington. David Thompson.

« Senator Feinstein tragically passed away last night at her home in Washington », announced its team in a press release on Friday morning, September 29. The announcement was followed by an outpouring of tributes, all remembering the pioneer Dianne Feinstein. This, all the way to the White House. US President Joe Biden, who served with him in the Senate, said, ” Amy ». « I had a front row seat to see what Diane was able to accomplish “, the democratic leader underlined, praising his struggles” Environmental protection and personal freedom ».

An image built on her long political career, marked especially by her tenure as mayor of her native San Francisco, the first woman to occupy the role. She was the first woman to win the seat in more than three decades as a senator from California. He was voted back into Congress on Thursday morning, nearly eight months after announcing his political retirement and not running for re-election in 2024.

Assault rifle ban and criticism of the CIA

« She was a great servant of the state and I will miss her dearly “, Republican Chuck Grassley, now the new dean of the Senate at age 90, served with her for more than 30 years in Congress. Among Feinstein’s biggest fights was her active work to strengthen gun laws. In particular, she passed a ban on assault rifles in 1994 — for ten years.

In the Senate, he was instrumental in vetting hundreds of pieces of legislation that, along with Republican John McCain, called for the legislation to be shut down. Guantanamo prison30 people are still detained. The elected official with a crystal-clear vision is, after all, the author of a major investigative report on torture at the CIA with 20 damning conclusions about the incompetence and brutality of the agency’s investigations after September 11, which will last for years.

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But he first made his mark in his home state of California and in San Francisco. Dianne Feinstein led the city into turmoil following the 1978 assassination of Harvey Milk, California’s first gay man, and Mayor George Moscone by a former colleague. ” I found Harvey on his stomach. I tried to feel his pulse and my finger got stuck in the bullet hole “, she said San Francisco Gate In 2008.

The aging of the political class

But his image has been tarnished by numerous calls for his resignation in recent years as his health deteriorates. In 2020, in the middle of asking Twitter’s boss, Dianne Feinstein unknowingly started repeating the same questions over and over again. The press has also focused heavily on his memory problems.

Last May, Feinstein returned to the Senate in a wheelchair after two months out for health reasons. The very oldest of the place became the embodiment of a certain American gerontocracy that was impossible to let go of.

(and with AFP)