OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
It is being reported in the L.A. Times that Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) stated that she is not necessarily convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump is guilty of behavior that should cause him to be removed from office.
Initially @SenFeinstein says she was against impeaching Trump because "the people should judge" in 2020-"that still is my view" Says hasn't made up mind, serious questions about Trump's "character"-but the fact that she's even a maybe on ultimate acquittal vote pretty interesting
— Molly O'Toole (@mollymotoole) January 28, 2020
The article is based on a question asked by Axios reporter Alayna Treene, who tweeted that she disagreed with the Times’ interpretation of Feinstein’s answer.
I think the @latimes has this story backwards. I was the reporter who asked @SenFeinstein these questions. She told me she was initially going to vote against impeachment "before this"
But when I asked her to clarify, she said she's changed her opinion https://t.co/sJeYl2VkNl
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) January 28, 2020
Feinstein has described that her thought process includes both public opinion and consideration of all evidence. She has given her perspective on what type of behavior should warrant intervention from the legislative branch of government, and how that decision should be the result of an objective evaluation of the president’s actions, not orders from the party leadership.
Dianne Feinstein is quoted in the LA Times here:
“Nine months left to go [before the election], the people should judge. We are a republic, we are based on the will of the people — the people should judge,” she said.
She then added: “That was my view and it still is my view.”
Still, she indicated that arguments in the trial about Trump’s character and fitness for office had shifted her thinking. “What changed my opinion as this went on,” she said, is a realization that “impeachment isn’t about one offense. It’s really about the character and ability and physical and mental fitness of the individual to serve the people, not themselves.”
President Trump has made the claim that the entire impeachment process has been the result of partisanship and not individual thought. Several Democrats are unable to commit to their party’s decision to impeach because although states like Virginia, Alabama and Arizona have Democratic representatives, their citizens have shown strong support for President Trump.
Dianne Feinstein has gone against the collective wishes in the past, even voting to approve several of President Trump’s nominees for ambassador in 2017.
Feinstein received backlash for the possibility of not toeing the party line and she released a statement that showed more commitment to her Democratic peers.
The LA Times misunderstood what I said today. Before the trial I said I'd keep an open mind. Now that both sides made their cases, it’s clear the president’s actions were wrong. He withheld vital foreign assistance for personal political gain. That can’t be allowed to stand.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 28, 2020
The two parties are currently bickering about whether John Bolton should be called as a witness in this trial in addition to the veracity of the claims in his new book.
