LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lawyers for California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving member of Congress to suffer serious health problems, say in a court filing that a trust is restricting her from paying medical bills “important” created for her benefit by her rich late husband.
What you need to know
In Monday’s petition in San Francisco Superior Court, lawyers for the Democratic senator also asked the court to confirm her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, as trustee. Disbursement for 90-year-old senator: Longest-serving member of Congress Feinstein has suffered serious medical problems The senator’s spokesman, Adam Russell, said in an email that Feinstein and her office would have no comment on what he called ” a private legal matter”
The fund’s trustees said they were “perplexed” by the filing and have never denied a disbursement to Feinstein, 90, who was absent from the Senate for two and a half months this year, as she claimed. shingles and other complications, including a brief bout of encephalitis.
In Monday’s request In San Francisco Superior Court, lawyers for the Democratic senator and her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, wrote that the longtime lawmaker had racked up “significant” medical expenses and sought repayment of the marital trust, which was established in 1996 by her husband, investor Richard. Blum, who died last year. The senator is the “sole income beneficiary” of the trust, which has assets including a life insurance policy and his earnings, the filing says.
Despite Blum’s intent to ensure his wife’s welfare after her death, “the purported trustees have refused to make distributions to reimburse Senator Feinstein’s medical expenses,” they wrote.
In addition, they said that “deemed trustees” Mark R. Klein and Marc Scholvinck were not appointed in accordance with the terms of the trust. The senator wants to appoint her daughter to manage the fund, which they have asked the court to confirm. Katherine Feinstein is Blum’s stepdaughter.
In response, Steven P. Braccini, an attorney for Klein & Scholvinck, said in a statement: “My clients are perplexed by this filing. Richard Blum’s trust has never denied any disbursements to Senator Feinstein, let alone for the medical expenses”.
“While my clients are deeply concerned, we are all hopeful that this is simply a misunderstanding that can be resolved quickly,” he said.
In the filing, Katherine Feinstein, a member of the San Francisco Fire Commission and a former judge, identifies herself as the senator’s “attorney in fact,” which is someone authorized to act on behalf of another person.
But Braccini said, “We have not been presented with any evidence that Katherine Feinstein has power for her mother; nor has Katherine made it clear, either in this filing or directly to my clients, why a sitting U.S. senator would require someone to have power over her.”
The senator’s spokesman, Adam Russell, said in an email that Feinstein and her office would have no comment on what he called “a private legal matter.”
Feinstein is covered by Medicare and the DC Health Linkwhich offers health plans for members of Congress.
Feinstein, whose groundbreaking political career broke down gender barriers from San Francisco City Hall to the halls of Capitol Hill, announced in February that she would not seek re-election.
After her sick leave, Feinstein returned to the Capitol in May looking noticeably thinner and frailer, about 10 weeks after being diagnosed and briefly hospitalized with herpes zoster in San Francisco. One side of his face was drooping, apparently from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which can occur when the shingles virus reaches a facial nerve near the ears. It can also cause hearing loss.
Other side effects of the virus include vision and balance problems. He has been using a wheelchair to get to his office and committee meetings.
Feinstein has faced questions about her memory and cognitive abilities for years, even as she defended their effectiveness, and at times appeared confused during brief discussions with reporters.
Despite calls from some in her own party for her to resign, Feinstein has given no indication that she is considering stepping down.
