Friday, after Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) returned to Washington after a protracted hiatus due to shingles, a fifth House Democrat reportedly demanded that she resign from her position.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) made the case that elected officials need to retire if they become too ill to perform their duties.
“I think if you’re a member, and you become a shadow of your former self, you should resign,” Torres said.
Torres has joined a list of lawmakers asking on Feinstein to step down from the upper chamber, including Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
Feinstein, 89, has served in the Senate for 30 years with distinction, but in recent years, her mental health and, more recently, her capacity to carry out her duties as a senator, have come under examination.
The New York Times has revealed that in addition to having shingles, Feinstein also experienced encephalitis, a brain swelling that may worsen cognition, induce memory loss, and make it difficult to walk.
Feinstein returned to the Capitol earlier this month and has been using a wheelchair to navigate the Senate.
She appeared more fragile than ever. Speaking to reporters immediately after her return, she appeared to forget that she had been out of Washington at one time.
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