Scheming Pelosi reportedly the hidden hand propping up Sen. Dianne Feinstein

It appears that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is running interference for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), engaging in elder abuse and manipulating the Senate’s oldest member to keep her in place for political gain even though at least one source called Feinstein’s condition “frightening.”

Feinstein was out of action for months due to what she claims was a severe bout of shingles. However, when she returned to the Senate, it looked fairly obvious it was far more serious than that, and to many, she gave the appearance of having suffered a major stroke.

There are fresh concerns over Feinstein being fit to serve in office as she engaged in an interview this week where it appeared that she didn’t remember being absent from the floor, bringing into question again her cognitive abilities.

According to The New York Times, Feinstein, who is now 89 years old, suffered impaired vision and balance as a result of her illness. She also has facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The media outlet is claiming that her shingles also brought on a rare case of encephalitis, which caused her brain to swell and may explain her trouble with language and vision.

Feinstein has already announced she will not run for reelection in 2024. But she is still refusing to step down during her current tenure. The New York Post reports that those close to her joke that she will only do so once she’s dead.

“The Senate has critical, challenging work to do, and as the stakes are so high and she is not able to be present, to be informed and active, let alone have the rest she needs in order to recover, I feel she needs to step down,” Democratic donor Susie Tompkins Buell told the New York Times in an interview. “And yet she isn’t willing in this state of mind.”

Enter Pelosi’s oldest daughter, Nancy Carinne Prowda, who has been seen functioning as Feinstein’s caretaker in the hallways of Congress, wheeling her around and acting as a guard dog of sorts. It’s widely seen as a power move by the senator’s fellow San Franciscan, according to the New York Post.

Pelosi is struggling to control who takes Feinstein’s seat when she’s done. She reportedly wants Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to take over the position in the fierce competition to see who fills her sensible shoes in the Senate. If Feinstein steps down before the end of her term, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to appoint a black woman to fill the vacancy. Pelosi reportedly does not want that to happen.

https://twitter.com/AskMeLaterOn/status/1659481101352542211

Newsome seems to want Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) to be the pick. She has announced a Senate campaign to take the seat ahead of Election Day 2024.

“If DiFi resigns right now, there is an enormous probability that Barbara Lee gets appointed — thus, it makes it harder for Schiff,” a source close to the Pelosi family told Politico who reported on the situation. They also claimed that the Feinstein-Pelosi arrangement is “being kept under wraps and very, very closely held.”

“It’s very tricky, and political because they want her to stay,” the source added. “The political thinking is that if DiFi stays as long as possible, it helps Schiff as well.”

“Nancy Corrine is a dear friend of Senator Feinstein’s going back more than 40 years. She has been spending time with the senator as she continues to recover from shingles,” a spokesman for Feinstein’s office told the New York Post.

Pelosi spokesperson Aaron Bennet claimed that Prowda “has been supporting [Feinstein] in her shingles recovery.”

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Senator Feinstein have been friends since long before their service in Congress — and their friendship is personal, not political,” Bennet asserted. “Anyone who knows Senator Feinstein knows that her service in the Senate is entirely her own decision, and Speaker Emerita Pelosi would never suggest otherwise.”

When Feinstein was asked about her recovery on Tuesday, she insisted that she had never left the nation’s capital.

“No, I haven’t been gone,” she told perplexed reporters raising new alarms over her condition. “You should follow the — I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.”

Of course, a reporter asked for clarification on the statement. Feinstin’s reply made it worse, “No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting. Please. You either know or don’t know.”

Her absence threw a wrench into Democrats’ Senate judicial confirmation votes for over two months. When Feinstein returned, she had to rush votes for many nominees.

Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told CNN Wednesday that he’s “monitoring her medical condition almost on a daily basis” due to her pivotal vote on judicial confirmations.

According to Politico, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) noted, “As a friend, you can see she’s hurting.”

Schiff is literally salivating over ascending to Feinstein’s seat. His campaign reported $24.7 million cash on hand at the end of March, dwarfing amounts from challengers including Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Lee, who have raised campaign funds of $9.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively.

Pelosi is a kingmaker in California and her powerful iron reach could well determine who takes Feinstein’s seat.

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