Dianne Feinstein’s daughter has power of attorney in bitter conflict with late husband’s 3 daughters

03 August 2023

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been a giant in California politics, serving as mayor of San Francisco from 1978-1988 before being sworn into the U.S. Senate in 1992. But some Democrats have been calling for the 90-year-old Senate Judiciary Committee vice chair to resign, arguing that her health problems are hurting President Joe Biden's ability to get judicial nominees confirmed.

Meanwhile, a major Biden ally, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California), has attacked calls for Feinstein's resignation as sexist — arguing that aging male senators aren't asking to resign when they suffer health problems.

In articles by the New York Times and Business Insider on August 3, journalists describe a different fight that is taking place around Feinstein: one within her family.

Times journalists Tim Arango and Shawn Hubler Feinstein report that Feinstein, is "navigating an increasingly bitter legal and financial conflict that pits her and her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, against the three daughters of her late husband Richard C. Blum, who was a wealthy financier." And Business Insider's Brent D. Griffiths emphasizes that Katherine Feinstein, a former judge, has power of attorney over her.

Using that power of attorney, Griffiths notes, Katherine Feinstein has filed a lawsuit against the trust of Sen. Feinstein's late husband, Richard Blum.

Arango and Hubler explain, "In one legal dispute, the family is fighting over what's described as Sen. Feinstein's desire to sell a beach house in an exclusive neighborhood in Stinson Beach, north of San Francisco. In another disagreement, the two factions are at odds over access to the proceeds of Mr. Blum's life insurance, which Sen. Feinstein says she needs to pay for her growing medical expenses."

The reporters add, "For those close to Sen. Feinstein, the struggle over Mr. Blum's estate has exacerbated a recent and regrettable chapter that has marred the twilight of a long and successful public life and that has raised concerns about her ability to manage her own affairs."

According to Griffiths, it is "unclear to what extent the younger Feinstein holds power over the 90-year-old lawmaker."

Griffiths observes, "Power of attorney is not always granted because of the inability of someone to make their own decisions, though that can be the case when such a waiver of rights is reached. As the Los Angeles Times previously reported, a limited power-of-attorney agreement can be granted in matters of convenience. Nonetheless, planning for an agreement is considered a major part of estate planning."

Blum was Sen. Feinstein's third husband. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, a Democrat, believes the fight over finances reflects many years of bad blood between Katherine Feinstein (a former judge and Sen. Feinstein's biological daughter) and Blum's three daughters.

Brown told the New York Times, "There would not have been any issue, frankly, if there was mutual love between all the people."

Find the New York Times' full report at this link (subscription required) and Business Insider's article here.

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