Leading Senate Democrat Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) left Wednesday’s impeachment trial early, about an hour before her colleagues adjourned, it was reported on Wednesday.
Reporters spotted the Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member leaving the Senate around 8:45 p.m. ET, bidding two reporters farewell as she exited.
“Senators are expected to stay in the chamber for the entirety of the arguments,” the Washington Post reported. “But Feinstein could get a pass: She’s the oldest senator at 86.”
The Senate ultimately adjourned at 9:45 p.m. ET, meaning Feinstein left an hour early.
However, Feinstein’s spokesman Tom Mentzer told the San Francisco Chronicle that the lawmaker left early because she “was feeling under the weather.”
“She left a little early because she was feeling under the weather,” he told the paper. “She’ll be back tomorrow.”
Feinstein released a statement on the ongoing trial on Wednesday, declaring that the impeachment managers have “laid out a compelling case for why the Senate needs access to documents and witnesses that have so far been withheld by the White House.”
“It’s hard to overstate our need to have access to all relevant information so the Senate can hold a full and fair trial demanded by the Constitution,” she said in a statement.
She continued:
It was very disappointing today when President Trump appeared to brag that information is being withheld from the Senate when he said, ‘Honestly, we have all the material. They don’t have the material.’ This is even more reason for Republicans who want a fair trial to support Senator Schumer’s request for documents and witnesses.
I truly hope my Republican colleagues join with Democrats next week and demand access to all the information we need to conduct a fair trial. It’s the least we can do for the American people, who are watching these proceedings closely.
Day three of the Senate impeachment trial resumes at 1 p.m. ET.