Feinstein Didn’t Know Staff Announced Retirement

Mediaite reports:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she did not know her office released a statement saying she will not seek reelection in 2024. “I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein, 89, said in the statement.

Later on Tuesday, reporters at the Capitol asked her about the announcement. “I haven’t made that decision,” she said, according to Savannah Behrman of the National Journal. “I haven’t released anything.” A Feinstein staffer then told her, “We put out the statement.”

Read the full article. Listen to the audio clip below.

Feinstein on her retirement: “I haven’t made that decision. I haven’t released anything.”

Staffer: “We put out the statement.”

Feinstein: “You put out the statement? I didn’t know they put it out.”

— Savannah Behrmann (@SavBehrmannDC) February 14, 2023

And for transparency, sharing my audio. From another reporters’ angle in the same gaggle, it sounded like “should have”: https://t.co/oh9BMOWlhg

— Savannah Behrmann (@SavBehrmannDC) February 14, 2023