Topline
Hours before the memorial service for former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is scheduled to begin, her office announced the service would no longer be open to the general public, following security concerns.
Dianne Feinstein—the longest-serving female senator—died last week at the age of 90.
Key Facts
A “larger than expected security perimeter” is what led to Feinstein’s memorial service—which is slated to begin Thursday afternoon on the front steps of San Francisco City Hall—no longer being open to the public, her office said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The office did not explicitly say what caused the enlarged perimeter, but large crowds were present in the area.
Feinstein, who died last week at the age of 90, has been lying in state in the San Francisco City Hall since Wednesday.
Vice President Kamala Harris, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are among the high profile officials scheduled to speak at the funeral.
Key Background
Feinstein—the longest-serving U.S. female senator and the first woman elected to be mayor of San Francisco—died last Thursday at her home in Washington, D.C. In recent months, she’s made headlines for a string of health issues that included a shingles diagnosis which left her away from her duties for nearly three months. Her absence, and her age, left some Democrats calling for her resignation. Those calls were followed by an announcement that Feinstein would retire at the end of her term in 2025.
Tangent
On Tuesday, Democrat Laphonza Butler, a former president of EMILY’S List, was sworn in to replace Feinstein after being appointed by Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Further Reading
Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dies At 90—Longest-Serving Female Senator (Forbes)
Dianne Feinstein Dead At 90: Here’s What Happens Next Ahead Of Senate Race (Forbes)
