California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein died at the age of 90, multiple outlets reported Friday.
Feinstein died at her home in Washington D.C., Thursday, according to a statement shared by her official Twitter account. Born in 1933, Feinstein was a long-time leader within the Democratic party after graduating from Stanford University in 1955. She’d go on to become the first ever female mayor of San Francisco after her predecessor was assassinated in 1978.
Sources also confirmed news of her passing to The Associated Press, but no information on her exact cause of death has been released at this time. She was the oldest sitting U.S. Senator at the time of her death, having been elected to office in 1992. She was one of two of the first women to ever reach the position from California.
From the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein: pic.twitter.com/rvcAmVk8O0
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 29, 2023
Many saw Feinstein as a huge supporter of the women’s rights movement, and she led the charge in America’s assault weapon’s ban during the Clinton Administration. Her work was essential to Clinton’s crime bill at the time, but the ban later lapsed and was never renewed.
In the last years of her career, Feinstein’s age and ailing health were of concern to many, according to the BBC. In May, she allegedly returned to the Senate in a wheelchair, asking people “where am I going?” She voted as recently as Thursday, just hours before her death.
Dianne Feinstein voted as recently as yesterday. She didn’t have to die like this. pic.twitter.com/q7FyuJyVHS
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) September 29, 2023
In July, a hot microphone caught Feinstein being told to “just say aye” during a key defense vote. “For me to say I would like to support a yes vote on this. It provides 823 billion. That’s an increase of 26 billion for the Department of Defense. And it funds priorities submitted,” she said right before she was told to say “aye” by an aide. She opted to not seek reelection shortly before her heath started to fail. (RELATED: Hot Mic Reportedly Catches Dianne Feinstein Comment About Amy Coney Barrett’s Religion)
Feinstein was married three times throughout her life. She had one daughter, Katherine, with her first husband.
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