Vice President Kamala Harris is remembering the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, “one of the greatest public servants that California and our nation has ever known,” in a lengthy statement mourning her passing.
“Dianne Feinstein broke barriers, inspired generations of women to run for office, and improved the lives of millions of Americans through her vision, courage, and leadership,” the statement read.
Harris and Feinstein, once two serving senators from California, have shared a somewhat turbulent history.
As San Francisco’s (Feinstein’s hometown) newly elected district attorney, Harris announced she would not seek the death penalty for a 21-year-old gang member who fatally shot a 29-year-old police officer in 2004. Feinstein, then a supporter of the death penalty, publicly rebuked Harris’ decision.
The relationship eventually leveled out, as Feinstein endorsed Harris’ 2016 run for the US Senate. But just years later Feinstein dismissed Harris’ candidacy for the 2020 nomination, suggesting she was “brand new” in the Senate at the time and opted to endorse Biden in 2019 — then seen as a major blow to Harris’ operation.
When Feinstein announced she would retire from the Senate earlier this year, Harris issued a lengthy statement, saying, “I had the opportunity to witness her enduring commitment to our constituents and our country.”
And the vice president’s statement today mirrored that language.
“For years, I witnessed Senator Feinstein's leadership, when the cameras were on and when they were off. In 2008, when I was re-elected District Attorney of San Francisco, it was Senator Feinstein who swore me in. As a United States Senator, it was my honor to serve the people of California alongside Senator Feinstein,” the statement read.